Jen Shah was indicted for her alleged role in a long-running telemarketing scheme while filming season 2 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City — and all eyes are on the Bravo star as she faces up to 50 years in prison.
Bravo viewers met Shah during season 1 of RHOSLC, which filmed in 2019 and aired in 2020. She quickly became a polarizing character on the franchise, with fans questioning her job and need for several assistants.
“People will come to me and I’ll invest in their companies, so we have a got a lot of different investments, all different kinds of things,” Shah said of her career on Access Hollywood’s “Housewives Nightcap” in November 2020. “I’ve been able to do it because what I’ve been able to carve out, the niche I’ve been able to carve out in the direct response marketing world.”
Not long after production began on season 2 of RHOSLC, which also starred Meredith Marks, Whitney Rose, Heather Gay, Lisa Barlow and Mary Cosby, news broke on March 30, 2021, that Shah and one of her assistants who appeared on the show, Stuart Smith, were arrested in Utah.
“Jennifer Shah, who portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on ‘reality’ television, and Stuart Smith, who is portrayed as Shah’s ‘first assistant,’ allegedly generated and sold ‘lead lists’ of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam,” Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a press release. “In actual reality and as alleged, the so-called business opportunities pushed on the victims by Shah, Smith, and their co-conspirators were just fraudulent schemes, motivated by greed, to steal victims’ money. Now, these defendants face time in prison for their alleged crimes.”
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh claimed that Shah and Smith “built their opulent lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people.”
“Shah and Smith objectified their very real human victims as ‘leads’ to be bought and sold, offering their personal information for sale to other members of their fraud ring,” Fitzhugh said. “Working with our partners at the NYPD and the United States Attorney’s Office, SDNY, and with the assistance of HSI Salt Lake City, HSI New York worked to ensure that Shah and Smith will answer for their alleged crimes. As a result, their new reality may very well turn out differently than they expected.”
A source told Us Weekly at the time that Shah is “embarrassed” by the scandal, which included NYPD detectives, Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York working together.
“Jen is really humiliated that all of this is happening in the public eye and that it will be shown on Bravo,” the source told Us on March 31, 2021.
Scroll through for a breakdown of the charges and everything we know about Shah’s legal drama:
This is an ongoing article that was originally published in March 2021 and last updated on September 28, 2022.
“I own three different marketing companies and we do lead generation, data monetization, customer acquisition. The best way to describe it is, I’m the Wizard of Oz, I’m the one behind the curtain that no one knows exists but I’m the one making everything happen,” Shah told Access Hollywood in November 2020. “So, ads are popping to you guys and they’re like, ‘How the hell do they know I’m shopping at Neiman Marcus?’ That’s me.” She continued: “If you think about it, you know how much traffic is on the internet every second, all the people clicking. I’m making money on every click, anytime you click on anything I’m getting some money. I think because I’ve been blessed to be successful with my marketing background and my companies, I’ve really found a niche within the direct response marketing world. I’ve been able to branch out and invest in our fashion company, our skincare line, our lash line.” Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock
Shah and Smith’s alleged roles in the telemarketing scheme include defrauding “hundreds” of people, many over the age of 55, by selling “lead lists” for fictitious business opportunities. Courtesy Jen Shah/Instagram
According to the press release, Shah and Smith’s alleged involvement in the scheme stems back to 2012. While they were indicted in March 2021, the case dates back to 2019 and 10 others — Anthony Cheedie, Chad Allen, Shane Hanna Cameron Brewster, Kevin Handren, Joseph Ciaccio, Joseh Minetto, Joseph Depaola, Derek Larkin and Mattie Cirilo — who were previously charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. Courtesy Jen Shah/Instagram
Shah was booked on conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Both the Bravo star and her assistant face a maximum sentence of 30 years for the wire fraud charges and an additional 20 years for the money laundering charges. Gabe Ginsberg/Bravo
Following Shah’s arrest, she appeared before a Utah judge on March 30, 2021. The judge set the following conditions for her and Smith: must commit no federal offense upon release, must appear as required, no traveling outside of Utah with the exception of New York City court, no international travel, no contact with co-defendants and no engagement in telemarketing. They were subsequently seen leaving the Utah court and ignored all reporters' questions as they headed to their cars. Bravo
Shah was set to be arraigned virtually on March 31, 2021, but couldn’t dial in because too many people were on the line. Judge Sidney Stein subsequently decided to continue Shah and Smith's arraignment to April 2, 2021, at 11 a.m. ET. Heidi Gutman/Bravo
Shah called into her hearing on April 2, 2021, and pleaded not guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. She sought counsel from her local Utah lawyer, Clayton Simms, and from known white collar crime defense attorney Henry Asbill, who works out of Washington, D.C. The government described the scandal as a $5,000,000 money laundering scheme. Courtesy of hairbyendo/Instagram
During the April 2, 2021, hearing, the judge set Shah’s bail at $1 million, giving her one week to pay the required $250,000 “to secure that bond in cash or property.” "There is a risk of flight here. It's not insubstantial,” the judge said. “I’m going to release her on the following conditions: I am going to require a personal recognizance bond of $1 million. I am going to require $250,000 to secure that bond in cash or property. She will have one week to comply." Shah’s lawyer then asked for two weeks to secure the bond, which the judge approved, but noted that Shah must sign the $1 million personal recognizance bond by the end of the day. Other conditions of her bail included no drug use or excessive alcohol, not being allowed to open any bank accounts and continued mental health treatments. Bravo
The Bravo star’s attorney told the court that Shah doesn’t own her home — which was labeled as “Jen’s Chalet” on the series — or any real property. The government also alleged that she has not willingly disclosed her assets amid the investigation. When asked about her employment outside of telemarketing, her lawyer told the judge, “She's in the fashion business and on a news show as well … The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City." Courtesy of Jen Shah/Instagram
During the April 2021 hearing, a judge set a trial date for October 18, 2021, noting that may change due to COVID protocols. During the August 2021 hearing, the trial was postponed until March 2022 following updated COVID-19 standards. The trial is now set to begin on July 18, 2022, and is expected to last five weeks. Courtesy of hairbyendo/Instagram
Shah filed a motion to dismiss her case, but it was denied by the judge in August 2021, Us confirmed. In her initial ask, she was hoping charges would be dismissed. Additionally, her attorney, Daniel R. Alonso, along with colleagues Henry W. Asbill and Michael S. Chum, announced their resignation. Shah has retained attorney Priya Chaudhry, of ChaudhryLaw PLLC, to represent her in the case moving forward, according to the court documents. Rick Bowmer/AP/Shutterstock
The lead-up to Shah's arrest by members of Homeland Security and the New York Police Department appeared in a season 2 episode of the series, which aired in November 2021. In the moments before she was taken into custody, Shah told her RHOSLC castmates that she was unable to go on a trip with them to Vail, Colorado, because her husband was suffering from a medical emergency. “I have some bad news,” she told costarGay as the cameras rolled pre-departure. “I just got a phone call and Sharrieff Sr.’s in the hospital. He has internal bleeding, so I need to go.” After telling Gay that the doctors weren’t “sure if they’re going to need to do surgery,” she shared the bad news with Rose, Barlow and Jennie Nguyen, who were on the bus getting ready to leave. Nearly 15 minutes later, the authorities pulled into the parking lot of Gay’s beauty clinic. “Is this a prank?” Rose asked. “Is Jen playing a prank on us, though?” Andrew Peterson/Bravo
During a November 2021 episode of RHOSLC, Shah's costars were left in shock after Homeland Security showed up looking for her. "Other than our families, there was seven people that knew we were meeting at Beauty Lab today. I can't imagine anyone here would turn Jen in, but this looks really sus[picious]," Lisa Barlow noted in a confessional after Whitney Rose suggested that "someone told" the authorities where to find Shah. "I don't know anything, but I have a lot of questions around, like, Jen's lifestyle," Rose continued. "It intrigues me where she gets all of her money and all of her things from." Meredith Marks said in a FaceTime call with the cast that she was "not surprised" by the arrest, adding, "Too many things didn't add up and I've suspected that something was going on for a while. And now, it's validated that I was right [and] I'm not crazy. That's the bottom line." Chad Kirkland/Bravo(3)
In November 2021, Joseph Ciaccio, who was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing in 2019, was sentenced to time served. According to attorney Ronald Richards, Ciaccio received the sentence because a recent car accident left him paraplegic. "Judge was very compassionate about it and did not follow the government recommendation and sentenced him below guidelines," Richards tweeted. Courtesy of Jen Shah/Instagram
Smith, the assistant who was arrested and charged with Shah, changed his plea in November 2021 after initially pleading not guilty. “He pleaded guilty to three counts: conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering and obstruction of justice,” Richards told Us at the time. “He admitted to hiding ownership and money, defrauding elderly people and lying to the Federal Trade Commission in a deposition, which constituted perjury." Smith will be sentenced in March 2022 after his former boss' trial. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. Bravo
Following the release of The Housewife & the Shah Shocker, a documentary that explored Shah's legal issues with interviews from alleged victims and government agents, the Bravo personality requesting that her charges.Shah's legal team claimed that the ABC News doc would ruin her chance at an unbiased jury pool because everyone could access The Housewife & the Shah Shocker ahead of her trial."Ms. Shah respectfully requests that the Court grant her leave to file a motion to dismiss the indictment," the court documents obtained by Us in December read. "Given both the extensive viewership of Hulu nationwide and Ms. Shah’s public notoriety, a change in venue would not protect Ms. Shah’s rights, nor would alternative remedies such as a detailed voir dire or emphatic jury instructions." The U.S. Attorney responded to the motion stating that there was no basis to drop the legal case, to which Shah's attorneys called out the government officials that participated in the Hulu project. "Make no mistake, the Government cannot shift the blame to Hulu or ABC News for the manner in which the final program was edited," the RHOSLC star's response argued. "The Government and its agents publicly expressed their opinions to the press about a pending case, therefore the Government is fully accountable for all that followed. Like any wrongdoer, the Government is entirely responsible for the entire damage caused by its violation of the rules." Fred Hayes/Bravo
In December 2021, a source exclusively told Us that the drama of the past year had "put a strain on" Jen's marriage to Sharrieff Shah. "It's been a very stressful time," the insider explained. Despite the difficulty, however, the duo were still trying to make it work. "[Coach Shah] is there for Jen and is supporting her through all of this," the source said. "They have a lot of love for each other. They've been through therapy, which really helped, and now, they are stronger than where they were months ago." Bravo/YouTube
Nearly one month after Smith changed his plea to guilty, another codefendant in the case changed his plea as well. According to Richards, Shane Hanna — who is one of the 10 other people who were charged in connection with the case back in 2019 — entered a guilty plea in December 2021 after previously pleading not guilty. Hanna pleaded guilty to eight counts of superseding information to wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, device access fraud, aggravated identity theft, false statements on loan apps and wire fraud. "This is clearly a plea bargained deal," Richards tweeted, adding that the plea could have negative effects for Jen. "These charges are more severe then Stuart Smith's plea bargain and have a mandatory minimum on the aggravated identify theft." Courtesy Jen Shah/Instagram
According to attorney Ronald Richards, every defendant in the case has pleaded guilty to their respective charges — except for the reality star, who stands by her not guilty plea. Jen's trial will begin in March 2022. Courtesy Jen Shah/Instagram
After documenting the arrest and the aftermath on season 2 of RHOSLC, Shah returned for season 3, which began production in winter 2022. Courtesy Jen Shah/Instagram
The Housewife’s legal team is gearing up for court, and they have specific demands when it comes to RHOSLC. “Any use of clips from the RHOSLC at the trial of Ms. Shah, either in the government’s case-in-chief or during cross-examination of the defense’s case, would have to fall under one of the exceptions to the hearsay rule of evidence, as they are, by definition, out-of-court statements,” court documents obtained by Us in February 2022 stated. The defense also submitted nearly 40 questions for the potential jury, including multiple queries about each prospective juror's knowledge of the reality series. Natalie Cass/Bravo
While Jen's team is preparing their side of the story, the government is working on theirs, according to court documents obtained by Us in February 2022. “The Government intends to offer evidence [of fraud] in the form of financial records, summary charts, and limited testimony regarding those records, charts, as well as testimony by percipient witnesses with knowledge of the defendant’s disposition of the criminal proceeds,” the latest filing reads. Natalie Cass/Bravo
In March 2022, U.S. Attorney Damian Williams asked the judge to reject Jen's previous subpoena for documents, video footage and communications related to the ABC News documentary The Housewife & the Shah Shocker. "There is no basis to conclude that the materials sought constitute relevant, admissible evidence," Williams wrote in a letter. "Indeed, certain of the defendant’s improperly overbroad requests, which seem to potentially encompass footage of the defendant and others who were involved in The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, are particularly ironic in light of her position that such materials are inadmissible." One month earlier, Jen's legal team subpoenaed ABC News for all video footage related to the documentary, including everything that was unaired. In a motion to quash the subpoena, the network argued that Jen has no right to the footage, noting that the requested material is protected because of journalist's privilege. Williams' letter was written in support of that motion. "The Court should not permit the defendant’s attempted fishing expedition seeking broad categories of documents, communications, and video footage absent a showing of specificity, relevance, and admissibility, none of which the defendant can establish," he concluded. "Accordingly, the motion to quash should be granted." Jen's team fired back with a memo opposing ABC's motion to reject the subpoena, claiming that the request for Shah Shocker materials isn't hypocritical because the footage allegedly includes statements from witnesses. "Meanwhile, RHOSLC is a show—that is, a deliberately-edited, Hollywood-fabricated fantasy, loosely based on real people and designed to draw millions of viewers into outrageous episodes manufactured by editors," the memo argued. "The RHOSLC clips are devoid of evidentiary value, as they do not relate to any material fact at issue in Ms. Shah’s case, whereas the subpoena at issue seeks statements made by actual witnesses." Courtesy of Jen Shah/Instagram
As of July 2022, Jen faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Before her guilty plea, she faced 50 years behind bars. Her sentencing will take place on November 28, 2022. Courtesy Jen Shah/Instagram
The Bravo personality met with U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in New York City in July 2022 and changed her plea from not guilty to guilty. "Jen Shah sworn in to plead guilty on the first count of her criminal indictment in connection with telemarketing fraud scheme that prosecutors said preyed on the elderly," reporter Josh Russell tweeted. Her conspiracy to commit money laundering was subsequently dropped, per Page Six. Courtesy of Jen Shah/Instagram
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