The 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star now faces up to 14 years behind bars after filing a change of plea notice a week before her trial was set to begin.
- July 12, 2022
AceShowbiz - Jen Shah is apparently admitting to her fault in fraud case. The main cast member of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" has pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing.
Jen initially pleaded not guilty in April 2021. She, however, has had a change of heart and filed a change of plea notice on Monday, July 11 with the court, one week before her trial was set to begin on July 18. As part of her plea deal, federal prosecutors dropped one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Following the guilty plea, Jen's attorney Priya Chaudry continued to defend her. "Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line," she told TMZ. "She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed. Ms. Shah is also sorry for disappointing her husband, children, family, friends, and supporters. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family."
Jen now faces up to 14 years behind bars. The plea deal also calls for her to pay back over $9 million to her alleged victims and forfeit another $6 million.
Jen was arrested in March 2021 along with her assistant Stuart Smith for charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. They are alleged to have victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55 in six states, New York, New Jersey, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. The pair both pleaded not guilty in April of the same year, but Stuart changed plea to guilty in late November.
Jen's legal issue will still be a part of "RHSLC" storyline despite her guilty plea as the Bravo cameras will keep rolling for her. A source noted that her arrest, which was documented in season 2 of the reality series, is "a very big part" of her story and "producers don't want us to stop following it now."
"She's had Meredith [Marks] and Heather [Gay] by her side, who have been very supportive of their friend during a difficult time. Obviously her legal troubles have not been easy for Jen, let alone making this decision to plead not guilty," the so-called insider told PEOPLE regarding the 48-year-old reality star's situation.
