Jen Shah

Jen Shah
Born
Jennifer Lui

(1973-10-04) October 4, 1973 (age 51)
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.[1]
EducationUniversity of Utah
Occupation
  • Television personality
Criminal chargeWire fraud
Criminal statusImprisoned[2]
Spouse
​
(m. 1994)​
[3]
Children2
Websitedearjenshah.com

Jennifer Shah (née Lui;[3] born October 4, 1973)[1] is an American television personality and former cast member of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Known for her charismatic and controversial role on the show, Shah quickly became a prominent figure. Her career in reality television, however, was overshadowed by legal controversies; in 2022, she pleaded guilty to charges related to a telemarketing scheme that targeted elderly and other vulnerable individuals, resulting in her current prison sentence.[4][5]

Life and personal background

[edit]

Shah is of Tongan and Hawaiian descent and was raised in the Mormon faith before later converting to Islam.[6][7] She met her husband, Sharrieff Shah, a football coach, while they were students attending the University of Utah.[3] The couple has two sons together.[8]

Career in television

[edit]

Shah gained public recognition as a cast member of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, joining the series in its first season which premiered in November 2020.[9] Before she was sentenced, she was on the show for three consecutive seasons. Her time on the series highlighted her lifestyle, relationships, and entrepreneurial pursuits.

[edit]

In March 2021, Shah was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a telemarketing scheme, pleading not guilty to both charges days later.[10][11] Her legal troubles were documented in the Hulu film Housewife and the Shah Shocker, which aired in November the same year.[12]

The charges involved a scheme targeting elderly people and other vulnerable individuals with services falsely marketed as business development tools, such as “website building and coaching”.[13] In July 2022, Shah reversed her plea, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.[14] In January 2023, she received a sentence of 6+1⁄2 years in prison, which she began in February 2023.[2] Her sentence has since been reduced[15][16] and Shah is expected to be released on December 19, 2027.[17]

Filmography

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Jen Shah News". Us Weekly. July 28, 2022. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Li, David K.; Dasrath, Diana (February 17, 2023). "'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah reports for prison sentence". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 18, 2023. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c Palmer, Tamara (July 13, 2022). "Who Is Jen Shah's Husband? All About Sharrieff Shah". People. Archived from the original on July 13, 2022. Retrieved January 28, 2023.
  4. ^ "Southern District of New York | Reality Show Cast Member Jennifer Shah Sentenced To 78 Months In Prison For Running Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. January 6, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  5. ^ "Southern District of New York | Reality Show Cast Member Pleads Guilty To Running Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. July 11, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  6. ^ Walker, Jodi (November 12, 2020). "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City season 1, episode 1 recap: M is for Mormon, P is for Perfect". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 15, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  7. ^ Yee, Lawrence (September 9, 2020). "'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Cast Is Most Diverse in Franchise History". TheWrap. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  8. ^ Gugliemi, Jodi (December 23, 2020). "RHOSLC's Jen Shah Says Her Marriage Hit 'Rock Bottom' Before She Went on Antidepressants". People. Archived from the original on February 1, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
  9. ^ Gugliemi, Jodi (November 11, 2020). "Bravo Premieres The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City — and the Women Are Already Fighting". People. Archived from the original on January 26, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  10. ^ "Real Housewives star Jen Shah charged over 'US-wide' fraud scheme". BBC News. March 31, 2021. Archived from the original on February 6, 2022. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  11. ^ Aurthur, Kate (April 2, 2021). "'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' Star Jen Shah Pleads Not Guilty to Fraud Charges, Bail Set for $1 Million". Variety. Archived from the original on April 2, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  12. ^ Schwartz, Arielle; Murphy, Eileen (November 29, 2021). "Inside 'Real Housewives' star Jen Shah's ongoing legal battle". ABC News. Archived from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved February 6, 2022.
  13. ^ "Jen Shah's scam victims speak out", ABCnews.com 20 Jan 2023; accessed 27 October 2023
  14. ^ "Southern District of New York | Reality Show Cast Member Pleads Guilty To Running Nationwide Telemarketing Fraud Scheme | United States Department of Justice". www.justice.gov. July 11, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Atkins, Chloe; Winter, Tom; Lenthang, Marlene; Dasrath, Diana (July 11, 2022). "'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah pleads guilty in wire fraud case". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved July 11, 2022.
  16. ^ Garner, Glenn; Quinn, Glenn (March 26, 2023). "Jen Shah's Sentence Reduced by 1 Year After Reporting to Prison in Telemarketing Fraud Case". People. Retrieved March 26, 2023.
  17. ^ News • •, Will Reid | E! (October 11, 2024). "'RHOSLC' alum Jen Shah gets prison sentence reduced in fraud case". NBC10 Philadelphia. Retrieved October 12, 2024.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jen_Shah&oldid=1256013249"