The Real Housewives' spectacle of unearned wealth was all fun and games until Jen Shah defrauded the elderly.
But as more and more crimes have piled up, and now with the criminal charges [against ex-Housewives husband Tom Girardi](https://www.vox.com/2021/8/12/22620854/rhobh-erika-jayne-lawsuit-true-crime) and accusations of [religious abuse](https://www.womenshealthmag.com/life/a38320133/mary-cosby-church-rhoslc-cult-leader-cameron/) against [former RHOSLC cast member Mary Cosby](https://www.thedailybeast.com/rhoslcs-mary-cosby-is-accused-of-running-a-religious-cult-by-former-congregation-members), it seemed almost inevitable that the day would arrive when the money we loved to watch would come, in clearly criminal and unwilling form, from us. And it becomes a particularly heady game with producers: It seems like the editors’ intent is to show how much Shah was willing to put herself on camera in an effort to save her case. What I thought started out to be an investment in a company that I could pass on to my children if the business got off the ground successfully, ended up almost ruining ALL OF OUR LIVES,” one of the victims wrote to the presiding judge, asking for appropriate punishment for Shah. She talks often about how hard the trial is, how hard it is to fight against a system that she says is stacked against her. The legal advice she seems to have been given, as evidenced by how she approached her case on the show, was to keep reiterating, on camera, that she was innocent and reminding us that in the American justice system, people are innocent until proven guilty. The show soured for Shah in her second season when her March arrest was caught on tape. [ According to NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/real-housewives-salt-lake-city-star-jen-shah-pleads-guilty-wire-fraud-rcna37631), Shah agreed to forfeit $6.5 million and pay up to $9.5 million in restitution. But her time on the show slowly morphed into a weird, often bleak, look at the legal fight to keep her out of jail. If someone’s selling a business, it’s in their best interest to project an image that doesn’t tarnish the brand — and again, that isn’t really “real” behavior. According to the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, this was “in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.” Back in March 2021, Shah was arrested (during filming, and more on this in a bit) along with Stuart Smith, whom the show described as her “assistant.” The pair were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. [married her step-grandfather](https://www.oprahdaily.com/entertainment/a34930757/real-housewives-salt-lake-city-mary-cosby-grandfather-marriage/) and has a child by him).
After she was arrested, Shah used the catchphrase “the only thing I'm guilty of is being Shah-mazing” on the show.
Last month, Todd and Julie Chrisley, the stars of the USA Network’s Chrisley Knows Best were sentenced to a combined 19 years in prison after being found guilty of bank and tax fraud. Just one week before the trial was supposed to start, Shah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. [said](https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdny/pr/reality-show-cast-members-charged-running-nationwide-telemarketing-fraud-scheme) Shah and Smith “defrauded hundreds of victims” and “generated and sold ‘lead lists’ of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam” adding they “built their opulent lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people.” Smith has not yet been sentenced, and several others who were charged in the scheme pleaded guilty and have been sentenced to several years in prison. After she was arrested, Smith pleaded guilty in November and was expected to testify at Shah’s trial, which had been delayed several times. Shah, who has starred on her Real Housewives franchise since it premiered in 2020, is known for being over-the-top and combative, making her a fan favorite. “Reality TV has nothing to do with reality, even my tagline,” she said through tears, according to
Shah pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for running a telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly people out of thousands of dollars.
“She and her co-conspirators persisted in their conduct until the victims’ bank accounts were empty, their credit cards were at their limits, and there was nothing more to take.” "Her kids had no idea (about Shah's telemarketing scheme) so this must be so awful to see their mom be scrutinized in public," the nurse, Leah Sterneker, said. "Shah worked hard to make as much money for herself at the expense of vulnerable people," Sobelman said. "People should not confuse the character she played on an entertainment show with the person I have before me," he said. this was before she began committing the crimes." "I was describing her selling seminars teaching people how to be good in business … "She was here in New York half a year telling people how to do this." "I have to come to terms that I have gone against these core values and I am deeply sorry for what I have done," Shah continued. "Some of them would have liked to be here today but are not comfortable traveling due to their age and Covid-19." "I don’t know if she appreciates the harm she has caused, I hope she has, I heard the words," Stein said. It was less than I expected," said "Housewives" fan and Long Island resident Danielle Infanger, who doesn't expect Shah to be the last reality TV star to run afoul with the law. "I thought her sentence was going to be way higher, closer to 10 years," said Payehouse, 32.
SHAH previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “With today's ...
In addition to the prison term, SHAH, 49, of Salt Lake City, Utah, was sentenced to five years of supervised release. Sobelman, and Sheb Swett are in charge of the prosecution. She directed others to lie, she put businesses and bank accounts in the name of others, she required payment in cash, she instructed others to delete text messages and electronic documents, she moved some of her operations overseas, and she tried to put computers and other evidence beyond the reach of investigators. These individuals were lured in by false promises of financial security, but in reality, Shah and her co-conspirators defrauded them out of their savings and left them with nothing to show for it. From at least 2012 until her arrest in March 2021, SHAH was an integral leader of a wide-ranging, nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that victimized thousands of innocent people. Stein to 78 months in prison for running a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme.
Shah appeared in Manhattan Federal Court on Friday for her sentencing, where U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein, who also presided over her guilty plea in July ...
I want to apologize by saying, I am doing all I can to earn the funds to pay restitution.” Her six-and-a-half years sentence is less than the 10-year sentence that federal prosecutors requested for the controversial reality star in a “People should not confuse the character she plays on an entertainment show to the person before me.” [Happiness Guru Beat Burnout](https://time.com/6244601/laurie-santos-happiness-professor-beats-burnout/?utm_source=roundup&utm_campaign=20230105) [She's Spent a Decade Fighting to Ban Nuclear Weapons.](https://time.com/6243350/beatrice-fihn-interview-ican-nuclear-war?utm_source=roundup&utm_campaign=20230105)The Stakes Are Only Getting Higher Stein, who also presided over her guilty plea in July 2022, handed down her sentence to a packed courtroom. Shah appeared in Manhattan Federal Court on Friday for her sentencing, where U.S.
Jen Shah, a cast member of 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,' has been sentenced to prison for wire fraud. She pleaded guilty in July.
She told a judge that in 2012 she took part in a massive telemarketing fraud for nearly a decade that prosecutors say cheated thousands of people nationwide. “Jen has faith in our justice system, understands that anyone who breaks the law will be punished, and accepts this sentence as just,” Chaudhry added. Stein announced that the reality star, 49, will serve a sentence of 6½ years in prison, the My actions have hurt innocent people.” “I am deeply sorry for what I’ve done. In a Manhattan courtroom, U.S.
Reality TV star Jen Shah was sentenced to 6-1/2 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to running a nationwide telemarketing scam that bilked ...
Shah initially denied the allegations after her arrest in March 2021 and sold merchandise attesting to her innocence. Shah, 49, began selling leads on people susceptible to scams to telemarketers around 2012 and later ran her own sales floor where underlings cold-called elderly victims offering bogus business opportunities, according to court documents. Register for free to Reuters and know the full story
Shah, 49, had previously pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. In addition to her prison stint, U.S. ...
Shah also intentionally sold contact information for those victims to others in the larger fraud ring. Victims of the fraud were convinced to invest in bogus business opportunities and spend money on services, such as web design help or tax preparation. The scheme lasted from 2012 until she and her assistant Stuart Smith were arrested in March 2021. "Jen has faith in our justice system, understands that anyone who breaks the law will be punished, and accepts this sentence as just.," Chaudry said in a statement. "With today's sentence, Jennifer Shah finally faces the consequences of the many years she spent targeting vulnerable, elderly victims. Stein also ordered her to pay more than $6.6 million in restitution and to forfeit $6.5 million, 30 luxury items and 78 counterfeit luxury items.