How RHOSLC's Jen Shah Met Her Husband Sharrieff

Jen Shah is one of today's most talked-about reality television stars. The over-the-top figure on "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" is accused of running an alleged telemarketing scam over several years that targeted the elderly, per Page Six. Jen was arrested by the feds in March on money laundering and fraud charges. Jen, who pleaded not guilty to her charges, now awaits trial for her alleged crimes for which she faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. The drama of Shah's arrest played out in an explosive Season 2 episode of "RHOSLC" and the fallout of her legal woes will play out in future episodes.

Jen's arrest has reportedly "put a strain" on her marriage to football coach Sharrieff Shah, an insider told Us Weekly. Despite the adversity they face, Mr. and Mrs. Shah are working hard to stick together during the tough times. "Jen and Coach are going strong," the source told the outlet. "They are taking it day by day, especially since every day brings something new." As the Shahs face some big upcoming challenges, many are wondering if their foundation will withstand the stress of a federal trial. 

But before all the drama and cameras, the two were just like any other married couple with kids. And as for how they met? Well, that encounter was surprisingly normal, too.

In a sweet turn of events, Sharrieff Shah and his wife Jen Shah were college sweethearts at the University of Utah. The "Housewives" husband gushed about how he met Mrs. Shah in a 2020 episode of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City." 

"When I met my wife in college, it was fantastic," Shah said, per Women's Health. "I never in my life, in my life, seen anybody as pretty in my life." Sharrieff recalled his wife's response to him asking her on a date, saying, "And I said, 'Well, would you like to go out?' And she said, 'Yes, but I'll bring my cousins with me.' You girls roll deep." The two eventually married and welcomed two sons together.

Sharrief works for the couple's alma mater, now in his 10th year as a football coach at U of Utah, according to his university profile. The hectic demands of Shah's coaching career put a lot of time and distance between him and his wife. Per Bustle, Jen described their time apart as a "FaceTime marriage" — though the housewife explained their busy schedules weren't a problem. "I'm very independent and I'm not at home waiting for him to get off work," she said. 

Things between Jen and Sharrieff Shah have not always been "Shah-mazing." Jen Shah described that her marriage took a turn for the worse when her husband carried on with work away from home following her father's death. He even missed the funeral! 

"I became very depressed," Mrs. Shah revealed on a Season 1 episode of "RHOSLC," per People. "It almost cost me my marriage." The couple came close to divorce, Jen revealed in the "RHOSLC" season 2 premiere. "Sharrieff felt like he wasn't being a positive influence in my life. Like, he couldn't help me," Shah said, according to Us Weekly. The star added that her husband had already contacted a divorce attorney by the time they sought couples therapy.

Despite the challenges thrown their way, the Shahs' love for one seems to overcome their troubles. "I love you with my entire heart," Jen wrote to her husband in a sweet Instagram post in celebration of their 27th anniversary in August. "Thank you for your unconditional love, support and standing by my side no matter what. I thank Allah for you each and every day. You are truly my biggest blessing; you are my everything." Now, only time will tell whether that "unconditional love" will still apply if Jen gets convicted.