‘Real Housewives’ Jen Shah Pleads Guilty—Could Face Up To 14 Years In Prison

Topline

Jen Shah, one of the stars of Bravo’s The Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City who was facing up to 50 years in prison for running an alleged national telemarketing scheme, pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one week before her trial was scheduled to start.

Key Facts

Shah—whose tagline for the show’s most recent season was “the only thing I’m guilty of is being Shah-mazing”—was charged by the Southern District of New York in 2021 with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, to which she initially pleaded not guilty.

Shah’s assistant, Stuart Smith, was charged with the same counts, but pleaded guilty in November and was expected to testify against her at next week’s trial.

The conspiracy to commit wire fraud charge carries up to 30 years in prison, though her plea agreement carries up to 14 years in prison, plus over $9 million in restitution and a $6 million forfeiture, according to ABC News.

At a hearing in New York City in federal court, Shah admitted to Judge Sidney Stein that she knew her actions were wrong and illegal.

Shah will be sentenced November 28.

Crucial Quote

“In 2012 to March 2021 in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere I agreed with others to commit wire fraud,” Shah read from a prepared statement. “I knew this was wrong. I knew many people were harmed and I’m so sorry.”

Key Background

Shah, who was arguably the star figure on the newer Housewives franchise, became known for her over-the-top lifestyle and over-the-top temper. The moments of her arrest were captured on camera during the show’s second and most-recent season, showing a team of federal agents hunting for Shah in a parking lot when the cast members were supposed to depart for a vacation. Shah, 48, maintained her innocence on the show. When Shah and Smith were arrested, the government said they had “carried out a wide-ranging telemarketing scheme that defrauded hundreds of victims throughout the United States, many of whom were over age 55, by selling those Victims so-called “business services” in connection with the Victims’ purported online businesses.” Shah and Smith “generated and sold leads to other Participants for use by their telemarketing sales floors with the knowledge that the individuals they had identified as “leads” would be defrauded by the other[s].” Before her arrest, Shah was vague when explaining her career to Bravo’s Andy Cohen, who wondered why she needed four assistants. “My background is in direct response marketing for about 20 years, so our company does advertising. We have a platform that helps people acquire customers, so when you’re shopping online or on the Internet, and something pops, we have the algorithm behind why you’re getting served that ad,” she said.

Tangent

Shah is not the first Housewives star to go to prison. In 2014, Teresa and Joe Giudice from The Real Housewives Of New Jersey were sentenced to time in prison for fraud. Joe, an Italian citizen, also spent time in ICE custody before being deported.

Further Reading

‘Real Housewives’ star Jennifer Shah pleads guilty to fraud in telemarketing case (ABC News)

Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’s Jen Shah Pleads Guilty Ahead of Fraud Trial (Vulture)