Jen Shah Fraud Case: An American reality TV star, Jen Shah of RHOSLC is in serious legal trouble and could face a lengthy prison sentence. On July 11, 2022, Shah pleaded guilty to wire fraud, and her arrest was documented in the show's second season. Shah only rose to fame in 2020 when she appeared on RHOSLC. Jen declares in the trailer that she is innocent and was duped by her assistant Stuart Smith. Jen may face a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release during her sentencing, which will occur on January 6, 2023 today. However, Jen's plea deal calls for 11 to 14 years in prison and restitution of up to $9.5 million, but the judge can make the final call on her punishment. Jen is currently free on a $1 million bond
Accused Of Defrauding Hundreds Of People
Jen Shah is accused of defrauding hundreds of people, many of whom were over the age of 55, through a telemarketing scheme that spanned six states. She has been running this scheme since 2012. Jen and her assistant Stuart Smith allegedly preyed on vulnerable seniors, selling them "business services" and running 'fraudulent schemes' that Shah admitted had little to no value. According to HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh, the RHOSLC star and her assistant mentioned their victims as 'leads' to be sold. Shah and Smith were both charged with wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering. Jen was detained in March of 2021. She initially denied the allegations and vowed to fight all charges.
Arrested In Parking Lot
Jen Shah was arrested while filming an episode of RHOSLC Season 2, which aired on Bravo on November 7, 2021. She was getting ready to leave with her co-stars for a trip to Vail, Colorado. Jen left the set after receiving a call that she initially claimed was about her husband being in the hospital due to internal bleeding. The Homeland Security, New York Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation later arrested her off-camera in the Beauty Lab parking lot. In a conversation with Heather Gay, Jen claimed that she thought she was being kidnapped as a white minivan and a black SUV approached her in the parking lot. Shah also accused the police of barging into her house and pointing a gun at her son. Her assistant, Stuart Smith, 43, was arrested on the same day Jen was and pled not guilty. In November 2021, he changed his plea to guilty and agreed to testify against his former boss. He has not yet been sentenced.
Asked To Surrender Her Passport
Jen pleaded not guilty to both charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in April. Prosecutors, on the other hand, claimed that her fraud netted her at least $5 million. Jen was asked to surrender her passport by the judge because she posed a flight risk. Shah is now awaiting sentencing. She had told her co-stars in Season 2 that she was innocent.
Sentence and Timings
The RHOSLC star is now awaiting her sentence. Shah may face up to 30 years in prison but is attempting to negotiate a plea deal that would limit her time to 11 to 14 years. The US attorney has already dropped the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge as part of a plea agreement, reducing her potential prison time from 50 years to 30 years. Sentence may be announced soon today.
