She was the yeller, the drink-thrower and the accusation-maker every reality television cast needs to spin drawn-out storylines and otherwise minuscule conflicts into a loyal audience.
The program provided very little by way of explanation of the alleged crimes, and little mention at all of Shah’s alleged victims, providing a buffer for fans to enjoy the “drama” without facing the very real moral dilemmas unfolding away from the cameras. Conversations about designer handbags and facial injections mixed with arguments litigating who knew what of Shah’s shadier dealings. The rest of the season featured the typical Housewives nonsense, but with a surreal true crime flair. Moments later, Homeland Security agents swarmed the parking lot in search of Shah, who was eventually found and appeared in court later that day. She turned off her microphone, hopped in a black truck and fled the scene, claiming her husband, University of Utah assistant football coach Sharrief Shah, was in the hospital with internal bleeding. Shah, in her now-infamous leopard boots and fur coat, received a mysterious phone call. It arrived with Episode 10 of Season 2, “Highway to Vail.” The housewives gathered in a Sprinter van headed for Vail, Colorado. The “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” community knew great television lay ahead.
JEN SHAH GUILTY TV
Reality TV gold!! 🤭 The cameras were rolling when #RHOSLC star Jen Shah was arrested for her alleged involvement in a nationwide telemarketing scheme. But the only question I asked over and over was, “Were cameras rolling during the arrest?” The answer was yes.
There are a number of questions I should have asked that day about the well-being of the defrauded victims. I’m embarrassed to admit that in the moment, I felt flattered that so many fans of the show had thought to reach out to me. I was also giddy about the arrest in a way I’m not especially proud to admit. I had fashioned myself into a “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” aficionado, penning weekly recaps and co-hosting a podcast unpacking every episode. On the afternoon of March 30, 2021, my phone went bananas with text messages and DMs about Shah’s arrest. A reminder that when it comes to entertainment that blurs reality with hyperbole, the messes on screen can, and often do, affect the real lives of innocent people. She was entertaining, even shocking.īut Shah’s arrest and revelations of her criminal activity have been a harsh wake-up call for fans.
Whether or not her on-screen actions were moral was irrelevant. This made Shah an early star of “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.” Shah and her “assistant” Stuart Smith were accused of creating lead lists with names of vulnerable senior citizens, then selling those lists to known scammers who duped the elderly into spending thousands of dollars on nonexistent business support.Īll the while, Shah flaunted her palatial Park City home, high-end cars, throngs of assistants and white-hot temper. Shah, according to federal prosecutors, “victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years.” Last month, Shah shocked Bravo viewers when she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. 15, “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah will receive her prison sentence from U.S.
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