Jen Shah may not serve any jail time for her alleged crimes, as The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star’s prosecutors are not seeking it after her arrest earlier this week. The reality star was apprehended while filming the second season of the hit show. This comes on the heels of accusations that she verbally abuses her staff.
The incident unfolded on Tuesday when the 47-year-old and her 43-year-old assistant were arrested on the side of the road. The mother of two was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The charges allege that from 2012 until today, Shah, Smith, and others from her Shah Sqaud ran a telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly people by selling “lead lists.”
Jeremy Harris, a reporter for Utah’s KUTV2News, was in the courtroom on Tuesday and keeping fans abreast via Twitter. He broke the news that Shah may not be looking at jail time, tweeting, “Prosecutors are not seeking detention.” However, the housewife will have multiple conditions to abide by. She and her assistant, Stuart Smith, cannot transfer assets over $10,000 without court approval, and she will also not be allowed to take part in telemarketing.
A source spoke to Variety and shared that the housewives were all together since they were filming a cast trip to Colorado. The source went on to say that Shah received a call and told producers that her family member was sick and was picked up by her aunt. Federal law enforcement then swarmed the production scene looking for her. Bravo cameras were rolling at the time of the bust, but it is unclear how much footage they got.
Shah could be looking at 30 years in prison if convicted. Fans are upset that she flaunted her ostentatious lifestyle as one of success when it looks like she lied and cheated her way to the top. The indictment also alleged that Shah and her team pulled an array of scams, including fake coaching sessions, bunk tax prep, and web-design services. There is no telling how long Homeland Security had its eyes on Shah, but Bravo fans are happy she has been caught since it means the second season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City will start off with a bang.
