'RHOSLC' Star Jen Shah Reports to Prison
Jen Shah has surrendered to prison in order to begin her 6.5-year sentence behind bars after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star, 49, reported to FPC Bryan in Bryan, Texas on Friday after pleading guilty in July 2022 to orchestrating a nationwide telemarketing scheme that predominantly targeted the elderly.
"Jen Shah's resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding," Shah's attorney, Priya Chaudhry, said in a statement Friday. "She is committed to serving her sentence with courage and purpose, fueled by her desire to make amends for the hurt she has caused and to help others in her new community." Chaudhry continued, "No obstacle will deter Jen from making the most of her time in prison and she's determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted."
Shah, who was originally arrested in March 2021, was ordered to pay $6.5 million in restitution to the victims upon her sentencing after admitting she knew her actions were "wrong and illegal" during a hearing at the time. "Her path ahead will be filled with challenges, but with the unwavering love and support of her family and friends, Jen is prepared to face these challenges head-on and emerge from this experience a better person who makes a positive impact on others," Chaudhry concluded her statement.
Shah long maintained her innocence before ultimately pleading guilty to the crimes she was accused of committing. "Jennifer Shah, who portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on 'reality' television, and Stuart Smith, who is portrayed as Shah's 'first assistant,' allegedly generated and sold 'lead lists' of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss previously said in a press release. "In actual reality and as alleged, the so-called business opportunities pushed on the victims by Shah, Smith, and their co-conspirators were just fraudulent schemes, motivated by greed, to steal victims' money. Now, these defendants face time in prison for their alleged crimes."
Hours before Shah was set to surrender to prison, she showed off new tattoos she had gotten in honor of her family – inking the names of her husband, Sharrieff Shah, and their sons Sharrieff Jr., 28, and Omar, 19, on her forearm. She also debuted another that reads "Keiki" – the Hawaiian word for "child." Shah wrote alongside her Instagram Story of the tattoos, "You are my everything."