Jen Shah has apologized to her family, victims and supporters after the “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star pleaded guilty to fraud. Jen surprised many when she changed her mind and pleaded guilty early Monday morning. Jen was in New York ahead of her trial, which was scheduled to begin next week. Over the past year, Jen has protested her innocence in the telemarketing scheme she was accused of organizing.
While all of Jen’s co-defendants pleaded guilty, Jen was the only one to stand trial after initially pleading not guilty in April 2021. Jen’s court case became the center of her storyline on RHOSLC. Jen was arrested during the filming of the second season of the show. The Bravo star was accused of forcing elderly people to pay for dubious services they never received. Jen’s decision to join the popular reality show has drawn more attention to her in a case that authorities have been investigating for the past decade. Jen and her assistant Stuart Smith were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit electronic fraud in connection with telemarketing and one count of conspiracy to launder money. If found guilty, Jen could face up to 30 years in prison.
Jen’s trial was supposed to begin next week, but on Monday she refused, pleading guilty. After changing the statement, Jen’s lawyer released a statement on her behalf. “Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed the line,— Jen’s lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, said in a statement, according to ET. Jen — takes full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to everyone who was injured,” added. In addition, Jen offered a personal apology to her husband, coach Sharrif Shah, her two sons and other “family, friends and supporters” who supported her throughout this embarrassing ordeal. “Jen pleaded guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and leave this ordeal behind her and her family,” Priya said.
During a hearing scheduled for Monday, Jen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit fraud using electronic means of communication in connection with telemarketing. The charge of conspiracy to launder money was dropped. Along with the guilty plea, Jen agreed to confiscate $6.5 million and pay up to $9.5 million in compensation. Judge Sidney Stein warned Jen that she now faces up to 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release after pleading guilty. Damian Williams, the United States attorney for the Southern District of New York, criticized Jen after the hearing, repeating her accusations of harassing “vulnerable victims” with “false promises” that “cheated” their savings.
Jen pleads guilty during the filming of the third season of the TV series “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City”. Fans are going crazy with questions about Jen’s fate. The Bravo star could go to jail, possibly face 30 years behind bars. Jen won’t be the first “Real Housewives” star to serve time in prison, but she will be the first to get such a long sentence. She was able to enjoy two full seasons in the series. But the third season of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” could potentially be her last. Her trial will begin on July 18, and sentencing is scheduled for November 28.
