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RHOSLC’s Jen Shah Has ‘Been a Complete Wreck’ Since Prison Sentencing: ‘She Can’t Stop Sobbing’
Time is running out. Former Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah is a “complete mess” as she awaits a 6.5-year prison sentence beginning on February 17, 2023, a source exclusively tells Life & Style.
“Jen’s been a complete wreck since the sentencing. She doesn’t want to go to prison, and she still hasn’t wrapped her head around it. She can’t stop sobbing,” the insider tells Life & Style. “Her husband, Sharrieff, is constantly by her side, trying to help her keep it together. She’s a complete mess.”
Jen pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to a nationwide telemarketing scheme on July 11, 2022. In return, the U.S. Attorney in her case agreed to drop a second count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Prosecutors asked that the former Bravolebrity serve 10 years in prison, while her attorneys requested a much shorter three-year term. A judge met the two sides halfway at her January 6, 2023, sentencing.
Jen’s arrest and legal trouble was a major plotline throughout season 2 of RHOSLC. During the season 3 premiere episode in September 2022, she admitted to being fearful of what her future held.
“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t scared,” Jen revealed. “I’m not thinking about myself, I’m thinking about my family. I can’t imagine being away from them. It would literally kill me.” The reality star and her husband share two sons, Sharrieff Jr. and Omar. All three were by her side supporting Jen during her sentencing.
The reality star was accused of defrauding thousands of elderly individuals, with federal prosecutors calling Jen “an integral leader of a wide-ranging, nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that victimized thousands of innocent people,” in a December 23, 2022, court filing.
“At the defendant’s direction, victims were defrauded over and over again until they had nothing left,” U.S. Attorney Damian Williams wrote. “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.”
Jen was an original cast member of RHOSLC and was known for throwing lavish parties and living a wildly expensive lifestyle. Her season 2 tagline was, “The only thing I’m guilty of is being Shah-mazing.”
