NEW YORK, N.Y. -- "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Christopher Laurita was found liable for fraud on Thursday by a federal judge in connection with a protracted bankruptcy case.

Chris Laurita's clothing firm Signature Apparel filed for bankruptcy in 2009. In 2010, Anthony Labrosciano, the person designated by the court to settle the company's affairs, filed a lawsuit against Chris and Jacqueline Laurita; Chris' brother and sister-in-law Joseph and Adeline Laurita; and another brother Anthony Laurita, for allegedly using Signature Apparel bank accounts to pay for private jets, lavish vacations and expensive cars.

Joseph and Adeline Laurita settled their portion of the case in 2014 for $1 million, but Chris and Jacqueline as well as Anthony Laurita remained in litigation over the matter.

U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert E. Grossman for the Southern District of New York ruled on Thursday that Chris Laurita and management company Iconix, a subsidiary of Studio IP, were liable for fraud, negligent misrepresentation and tortious interference with contractual relations for diverting some of Signature Apparel's assets. Laurita was also found liable for breach of his fiduciary duty, and Iconix was found liable for aiding and abetting Laurita's fiduciary breach.

Grossman also found Studio IP liable for breach of contract, and New Star -- another Chris Laurita compay -- was liable for unjust enrichment of $1.8 million.

A hearing will now be set to determine the remainder of the damages.

Earlier this year, lawyers representing Chris and Jacqueline Laurita asked to be removed from the case due to the couple's $290,000 in unpaid legal fees.

In 2015, the couple's Franklin Lakes home went into foreclosure, but the couple -- who returned as full-time cast members in the show's seventh season last year -- were able to make their loan current.

Labrosciano's attorneys have previously accused the Lauritas of pleading poverty as a stall tactic to "delay, disadvantage or thwart their creditors," citing "publicly available information, including in social media posts in which the Lauritas boast about remodeling their home and undergoing plastic surgery, and in television programs in which the Lauritas claim to be operating a profitable business."

Prior coverage by Vicki Hyman was used in this article.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.