Jen Shah's Real Housewives Future Doesn't Look Bright After Prison Sentencing
Jen Shah is going to be swapping the Bollie for pruno and glittering Versace designer duds for an orange prison jumpsuit. The "Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star has been a larger-than-life character ever since she first shimmered onto the show during its premiere in 2020. Fast forward three months and Shah was in the courtroom being charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. People reports she was arrested along with her assistant, Stuart Smith, while Season 2 of "RHOSLC" was filming.
Of course, the whole thing went down on camera — the first attempted arrest, anyway — as Shah had just rushed off when the feds, ICE, and Homeland Security descended on the set. Shah's cast mates were quick to react. "Holy f***!" Whitney Rose exclaimed. "It was dev-a-stating," Heather Gay said. "[It was like] grand theft auto swarmed the party bus," she later claimed.
According to Access Hollywood, Shah had run an "alleged telemarketing scheme" that swindled "hundreds of people" out of their hard-earned money. Well, girlfriend's got to pay for those lashes and lips somehow! To the shock of everyone, Shah changed her legal strategy at the last minute, copping for a plea deal that allowed her to escape the money laundering charges. NBC News was at the courthouse when Shah's 6.5-year sentence was handed out. She also faces "5 years of supervised release" after she's served her time.
So, not surprisingly, Jen Shah's "Real Housewives" future doesn't look bright after prison.
Jen Shah's Real Housewives future seems positively grim
Following the sentencing, Jen Shah's attorney spoke out on her prison fate. "[She] deeply regrets the mistakes that she has made and is profoundly sorry to the people she has hurt," Priya Chaudhry told reporters (via NBC News). "Jen has faith in our justice system [and accepts] this sentence as just." Chaudhry insisted her client vowed to make financial restitution to her victims.
The absence of Shah's outrageous personality, over-the-top attire, and crazy meltdowns is going to leave a gaping hole in "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," something that hasn't gone unnoticed by Andy Cohen. The executive producer and talk show host addressed the situation on his show "Radio Andy" on January 9. He claimed that the victim impact report was "pretty stunning" and announced he was "hoping to go talk to Jen this weekend," with cameras along for the ride. Cohen admitted that Shah's incarceration "will be a big loss for the show."
Still, the show must go on, and in that vein, Cohen shared, "we have great casting for next year." As for Shah making a grand reality TV return post-prison? Don't bet your Louboutins on it. "She's going to serve her time, so you tell me, is she on the show or not?" Cohen said when asked if Shah had been permanently axed. "Well it seemed like the judge figured it out for us, didn't he? It's a loss to lose her on the show," he concluded.