“Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah, who was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison for a telemarketing scandal, reported to the federal facility on Friday (Feb. 17) to begin her prison sentence. She was undergoing trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud via a telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly people out of thousands of dollars.
Where Is Jen Shah Serving Prison Term?
“Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah reported to the federal prison in Bryan, Texas on Friday (Feb. 17) to serve 6.5 years prison sentence for wire fraud. In January 2023, the embattled star was sentenced to 78 months in prison for her infamous telemarketing scandal.
Jen’s attorney, Priya Chaudhry confirmed the news and said in a prior statement that her client’s “resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding. She added, “She is committed to serving her sentence with courage and purpose, fueled by her desire to make amends for the hurt she has caused and to help others in her new community.
“No obstacle will deter Jen from making the most of her time in prison and she’s determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted,” Priya concluded. Jen was undergoing trial for conspiracy to commit wire fraud via a telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly people out of thousands of dollars.
The reality star is serving her time at the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas, which is a minimum security facility for women. It is located 100 miles northeast of Austin and 100 miles northwest of Houston. FYI, it is the same prison, which will be inhabited by another disgraced celebrity, Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos founder).
“Instead of cells, these camps generally offer dormitory-style housing for all inmates; it will be bunk beds,” criminal defense attorney Doug Murphy previously spoke about the prison conditions. At FPC Bryan, Shah will reportedly share a bunk with another inmate and will have access to commissary items such as toiletries, soups and gourmet snacks.
More About The Scandal…
Jen Shah was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison after she and her assistant (also RHOSLC co-star) Stuart Smith were convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a telemarketing scheme and conspiracy to commit money laundering. It came out that Jen’s infamous “telemarketing scandal” ripped elderly people out of thousands of dollars.
While delivering the verdict in Jan 2023, US District Judge Sidney Stein noted, “Jen Shah’s role on the ‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,’ which I guess is why the courtroom is so full today, is just that, a role.”
“People should not confuse the character she plays on an entertainment show with the person before me,” the judge ruled. It was also noted that Jen Shah was a “leader” of her controversy, and this became a factor find deciding the length of her sentence. At the time of sentence, fans from as far as Arkansas and Minnesota along with NYC were present to witness her sentencing in federal court.
She was arrested along with Smith in March 2021, and was accused of selling “so-called ‘business services’ in connection with the victims’ purported online businesses.” An indictment revealed that those services included “tax preparation or website design services, notwithstanding that many victims were elderly and did not own a computer.”
Initially, she pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, but in a twist of events in July, Jen changed her plea and confessed to her crime before a New York court. During the hearing, the 48-year-old star confessed to the judge, “We used interstate telephones and emails. I knew many of the purchasers were over the age of 55. I am so sorry.”
When asked about the reason behind purchasing things, she confessed that she “offered ‘misrepresentations, regarding the value of the product or service, of which it had little to none.” The judge then asked if Jen knew it was wrong and illegal, to which she replied, “Yes, your Honor.” Shah has vowed to pay back the victims.
