“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jennifer Shah chose to keep her drama on the TV screen, not in the courtroom, and has taken a plea deal in her telemarketing fraud case.
Shah, 48, pleaded guilty Monday to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, one week before she was set to go to trial in Manhattan federal court, and could face between 11 and 14 years behind bars when she’s sentenced Nov. 28.
She’ll also be out $16 million—$6.5 million will be forfeited to the federal government, and she’ll have to pay $9.5 million in restitution to her victims.
Shah and 11 others were arrested in March 2021 for the near-decade-long scam, which swindled thousands of victims into bogus investment opportunities over the phone.
Federal prosecutors say she played a crucial role in the scheme as a “lead broker” by trafficking “lead lists” of potential victims, who telemarketing agents lured into paying thousands of dollars for “coaching” and “business services.”
The victims, typically over 55 years old, were told they’d be buying services that would help make their “essentially nonexistent” online business a success, but none of the victims got the promised returns.
Shah “owned and operated” a Manhattan-based sales floor, which she oversaw personally, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiersten Fletcher said Monday.
“I knew that purchasers of these services were misled about the value, and that’s why they bought the services,” Shah said, reading from a prepared statement in court. “I knew many of the purchasers of these services were over the age of 55. I knew this was wrong. I know many people were harmed, and I am so sorry.”
Shah’s trial would have started on July 18. Wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy carry a sentence of up to 50 years.
The reality star, who is married to University of Utah assistant football coach Sharrief Shah, has been a fixture on Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” since November 2020, dominating the camera with her brash displays of wealth and dramatic conflicts with her castmates.
