U. S. raids Amherst home of ‘Wife Swap’ couple
Agents tote boxes from Amherst house
Agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service spent Tuesday in a court-approved raid at the Amherst home of a couple who became a national punch line after their appearance on the ABC reality show “Wife Swap.”
Federal authorities refused to comment on what they were seeking from Ralph and Karen Guastaferro, who live in a brick Tudor at 86 Stonybrook Lane.
Agents arrived at the home shortly before 10 a. m., ordered takeout lunch and spent most of the day at the Guastaferro home. The Guastaferros run an auto customizing shop called Eclipse Tinting. A company employee said neither of the Guastaferros was there, and the couple could not be reached to comment.
By midafternoon, agents were seen toting cardboard boxes out to a half dozen government sedans parked in the exclusive neighborhood.
The couple appeared on the ABC reality show “Wife Swap” in January 2008. The program was set up around the swap of Karen Guastaferro, who went to live in the Indiana home of Angie and DuWain Boss, and Angie Boss, who came to live in the Guastaferro home.
The program contrasted the lav-
ish lifestyle of the Guastaferros, and the pampering of their 15- year-old daughter, Alicia, and the more modest religious life of the Boss family.
But the show spent most of the time concentrating on the Guastaferros, who live in a 3,700-square-foot home, assessed at $360,000. The program showed how they gave a present a day to Alicia, an honor student and beauty pageant contestant since she was 11 and named Little Miss Buffalo.
For Christmas, viewers watched as the Guastaferros gave Alicia a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe even though she was too young to drive.
“I live a very carefree life where I have no chores,” Alicia was quoted as saying. “I have anything I want. It’s a great life. I love it.”
At another point, she said, “I do feel sorry for people that are not gorgeous people.”
Videos of the episode became among the most watched videos on YouTube and prompted the Guastaferros to file a lawsuit against Walt Disney Co., ABC TV, YouTube and the show’s producers.
The lawsuit, filed by the Guastaferros on behalf of their daughter in U. S. District Court in Los Angeles, claimed the family was held up to ridicule and said the show caused their daughter embarrassment.
The lawsuit was withdrawn by the Guastaferros in April, after the judge threatened to dismiss the action for the Guastaferros’ failure to follow through on it.
James P. Kennedy of the U. S. attorney’s office declined to comment, as did a spokesman for the FBI.
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