Jen Shah is a free woman no more.
ex The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star reported to a federal prison in Texas today to begin serving his 6 and 1/2 year sentence.
Back in July 2022, Shah pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Prosecutors say the 49-year-old ran a telemarketing scheme designed to trick parents and drain their savings.
In a tearful guilty plea, Jen insisted that she acted out of ignorance and knew the impact of her actions.
Shah blamed the crime on mental illness, telling the court, “With the right medication, I can now see what happened.”
Prosecutors aren’t buying it and are asking the judge to lock him up for ten years.
Shah’s wife wrote to the judge and asked for a light sentence (she could be locked up for up to 30 years, according to federal guidelines), and it sounds like those words may carry some serious weight.
Six and a half years is not a drop in the bucket, but it could have been much worse.
And hey, Jen might have famous company, because Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes will begin her 11-year sentence in the same prison in April!
Future besties, perhaps?
“Jen Shah’s determination to make his victims whole and turn their lives upside down is untenable,” Shah’s lawyer Priya Chaudhry said in a statement issued Thursday.
“He is committed to serving his sentence with courage and purpose, out of a desire to repair the harm he has done and to help others in his new community,” the statement continued.
“No obstacle will stop Jen from making the most of her time in prison and she is determined to compensate those who have been affected,” added Chaudhry.
“Her road ahead will be full of challenges, but with the unwavering love and support of her family and friends, Jen is ready to face these challenges and come out of this experience a better person who makes a positive impact on others.”
Only time will tell about that last part, obviously.
But regardless of what kind of prison has been for him, Shah will not be able to return to the old ways right off the bat.
He must undergo five years of supervised release, including mandatory mental health counseling.
Well, even if she doesn’t get the prosecutor’s 10-year sentence, Jen will be sixty years old before she’s out of the government’s clutches.
If Bravo were still around at the time, we’re sure Andy Cohen would be happy to welcome her back to the Housewives franchise.
He will have enough stories.