‘Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ Star Jen Shah Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison

Nearly six months after pleading guilty in her fraud case, “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah has been sentenced.

On Friday, a judge handed down a six-and-half year sentence for Shah, who was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing, through which they victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55, and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Judge Stein told the courtroom, “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.”

Stein added, “People should not confuse the character she plays on an entertainment show to the person before me.”

Ahead of her sentencing, Shah’s attorney Priya Chaudhry noted that her client “regrets the mistakes she has made. She is sorry. She had faith in our justice system. Jen will pay her debt to society.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman argued, “There is not one message from her that expresses any type of remorse, not one. The defense hasn’t submitted any. That’s not how she felt even when she pled guilty.”

Federal prosecutors wanted Shah to serve 10 years in prison, saying, “Victims were defrauded over and over again until they had nothing left.”

Her legal team was hoping that she would only have to serve three years in prison. Her team argued, “We submit that such a sentence is just and fair because it takes into account Ms. Shah’s history and characteristics, the facts and circumstances of the offense, and meets that a court impose a sentence that is ‘not greater than necessary’ to achieve the goals of punishment.”

In July, Shah agreed to plead guilty as part of a plea agreement, which would require her to pay more than $9 million in restitution to victims and forfeit $6 million.

In her own statement, Shah told the judge, “In 2012 to March 2021 in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere I agreed with others to commit wire fraud. I knew this was wrong. I knew many people were harmed and I'm so sorry."

When the judge asked Shah if she knew what she was doing was illegal and wrong, Shah responded, “Yes, your honor.”