Reality TV show 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah, who recently insisted that she isn't the character she plays on RHOSLC, has been sentenced to 6.5 years in prison, on Friday, for defrauding many in a telemarketing scam that stretched over a decade. The 49-year-old initially pleaded not guilty after her arrest in March 2021. However, she changed her plea to guilty before trial.

Shah was sentenced by US District Judge Sidney H. Stein for running a nationwide telemarketing scam that targeted elderly victims who were often unsophisticated electronically and could least afford to lose their hard-earned money.

In court, Shah had admitted to luring thousands of elderly victims into draining their bank accounts and maxing out their credit cards to buy nonexistent "business services".&nbsp;Prosecutors sought a 10-year prison term, which would have been a year under the federal sentencing guidelines’ minimum recommendation but well above the three years in prison that Shah’s lawyer suggested.

During the Friday hearing, she apologised to the "innocent people"&nbsp;she had hurt and pledged to pay $6.5 million in restitution and forfeiture after her prison term. "I struggled to accept responsibility for the longest time because I deluded myself into believing that I did nothing wrong," Shah said, calling it her "own fractured reality".

Standing in front of a packed courtroom in Manhattan, wearing pantsuit and stiletto heels, Shah said, "For years I blamed other people for putting me in this position," before adding that she believed she was duped and manipulated.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/who-is-jen-shah-know-about-jen-shahs-sentencing-timing-restraining-order-when-did-she-plead-guilty-549923">Who is Jen Shah? Know about Jen Shah’s sentencing timing &amp; restraining order. When did she plead guilty?</a>

"I alone am responsible for my terrible decisions. It was all my fault and all my wrongdoing. I have no one to blame but myself.&nbsp;I wish I could have stood outside myself and seen the harm I was causing and changed course. I am profoundly and deeply sorry," Shah concluded.

After Shah's statement, her lawyer Priya Chaudhry shared that her client has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent months. "Remorse can be genuine even if it shows up late. Her apology is real," Chaudhry said.

After the sentencing, the 49-year-old left the court without speaking to the media. She is expected to report to prison at a later date.

In a statement, Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said that Shah "finally faces the consequences of the many years she spent targeting vulnerable, elderly victims".

Shah reportedly began selling leads on people susceptible to scams to telemarketers around 2012 and later ran her own sales floor where underlings cold-called elderly victims offering bogus business opportunities, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Shah was the ringleader of a network of more than two dozen people indicted in the scheme.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Reality TV show 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah, who recently insisted that she isn't the character she plays on RHOSLC, has been sentenced to 6.

Reality TV show 'The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star Jen Shah, who recently insisted that she isn't the character she plays on RHOSLC, has been sentenced to 6.5 years in prison, on Friday, for defrauding many in a telemarketing scam that stretched over a decade. The 49-year-old initially pleaded not guilty after her arrest in March 2021. However, she changed her plea to guilty before trial. Shah was sentenced by US District Judge Sidney H. Stein for running a nationwide telemarketing scam that targeted elderly victims who were often unsophisticated electronically and could least afford to lose their hard-earned money. In court, Shah had admitted to luring thousands of elderly victims into draining their bank accounts and maxing out their credit cards to buy nonexistent "business services". Prosecutors sought a 10-year prison term, which would have been a year under the federal sentencing guidelines’ minimum recommendation but well above the three years in prison that Shah’s lawyer suggested. During the Friday hearing, she apologised to the "innocent people" she had hurt and pledged to pay $6.5 million in restitution and forfeiture after her prison term. "I struggled to accept responsibility for the longest time because I deluded myself into believing that I did nothing wrong," Shah said, calling it her "own fractured reality". Standing in front of a packed courtroom in Manhattan, wearing pantsuit and stiletto heels, Shah said, "For years I blamed other people for putting me in this position," before adding that she believed she was duped and manipulated. Also read: Who is Jen Shah? Know about Jen Shah’s sentencing timing & restraining order. When did she plead guilty? "I alone am responsible for my terrible decisions. It was all my fault and all my wrongdoing. I have no one to blame but myself. I wish I could have stood outside myself and seen the harm I was causing and changed course. I am profoundly and deeply sorry," Shah concluded. After Shah's statement, her lawyer Priya Chaudhry shared that her client has undergone a dramatic transformation in recent months. "Remorse can be genuine even if it shows up late. Her apology is real," Chaudhry said. After the sentencing, the 49-year-old left the court without speaking to the media. She is expected to report to prison at a later date. In a statement, Manhattan US Attorney Damian Williams said that Shah "finally faces the consequences of the many years she spent targeting vulnerable, elderly victims". Shah reportedly began selling leads on people susceptible to scams to telemarketers around 2012 and later ran her own sales floor where underlings cold-called elderly victims offering bogus business opportunities, according to court documents. Prosecutors said Shah was the ringleader of a network of more than two dozen people indicted in the scheme. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Jen Shah, 'Real Housewives of Salt Lake City' star, sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for wire fraud

Jen Shah is an American reality TV star who has pleaded guilty to committing telemarketing fraud in the US over a time period between 2012 and 2021. As per federal prosecutors, she has admitted to victimising at least 10 people aged above 55, for which she faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. In March 2021, she was arrested amid the filming of the Bravo reality show. In June last year, she appeared before a district court judge in Manhattan changing her plea to guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As per NBC news, she also agreed to pay restitution of up to $9.5 million and forfeit $6.5 million. In a statement recorded on the same day, Jen Shah was heard saying, “I knew it was wrong, many people were harmed and I’m so sorry.” Her pleading guilty helped her avoid a trial in court.

<h2>When is Jen Shah’s sentencing?</h2>

Jen Shah’s sentencing hearing is on Friday. The federal prosecutors are asking for awarding her at least 10 years behind bars. The government claims she was a part of a nationwide telemarketing scheme that defrauded hundreds of people. Some co-conspirators in the case had already pleaded guilty, including Shah's longtime assistant Stuart Smith.

<h2>When did Jen Shah plead guilty? What is her crime?</h2>

Jen Shah pleaded guilty in June last year, which helped her avoid the trial. US Attorney Damian Williams stated that Jennifer Shah was a key player in a nationwide scheme that preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims. According to the claims, those victims were sold false promises of financial security, but instead, Shah and her co-conspirators defrauded them and left them with nothing. Prosecutors said Jennifer Shah and others engaged in a wide-ranging telemarketing scheme that defrauded hundreds of victims across the United States, many of whom were over the age of 55, by selling them so-called "business services" in connection with the victims' purported online businesses from 2012 to March 2021.

In order to carry out the scheme, Shah and others engaged in a widespread, coordinated effort to traffic in lists of potential victims, or "leads," many of whom had previously invested in an online business with other scheme participants. According to prosecutors, Shah began operating a Manhattan-based sales floor in 2017 that sold downstream "business opportunity" products to victims on lead lists. Shaw reportedly ran the day-to-day operations of the Manhattan sales floor between 2018 and 2020. According to them, she later relocated the sales floor to Kosovo to avoid law enforcement and regulatory scrutiny.

<h2>Jen Shah's restraining order</h2>

Along with the defrauding case, a restraining order back from 2019 might also come back to haunt her as she awaits her sentencing judgment on Friday. Prosecutors in Jen's federal fraud case have recently filed new documents this week asking the court to consider a 2019 restraining order obtained by a woman who claims she had a falling out with the 'Housewives of Salt Lake City' star. Prosecutors want the judge to hear what the woman said because they believe it is consistent with how Jen Shah interacted with others. 
The woman claims Jen had an illicit extra-marital affair with her husband. When she revealed this to Jen’s husband, the Bravo star allegedly harassed and stalked her, including showing up unannounced on her doorstep at 2:30 AM in one such instance.&nbsp;

However, Priya Chaudhry, Shah's attorney, made counterclaims in a statement that read, “We have proof that this woman is lying about this alleged affair—an email from this woman to Ms. Shah's husband dated 4 days after the restraining order in which she acknowledges that there was no affair. This scorned woman lied to the prosecutors in an attempt to exact her own revenge against Jen Shah." Chaudhry further states that Jen Shah accepts full responsibility for her errors and accepts that she should be punished, it's unfortunate that people with a vendetta would use this opportunity to undermine justice.

Jen Shah is an American reality TV star who has pleaded guilty to committing telemarketing fraud in the US over a time period between 2012 and 2021. As per federal prosecutors, she has admitted to victimising at least 10 people aged above 55, for which she faces a maximum of 30 years in prison.

Jen Shah is an American reality TV star who has pleaded guilty to committing telemarketing fraud in the US over a time period between 2012 and 2021. As per federal prosecutors, she has admitted to victimising at least 10 people aged above 55, for which she faces a maximum of 30 years in prison. In March 2021, she was arrested amid the filming of the Bravo reality show. In June last year, she appeared before a district court judge in Manhattan changing her plea to guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As per NBC news, she also agreed to pay restitution of up to $9.5 million and forfeit $6.5 million. In a statement recorded on the same day, Jen Shah was heard saying, “I knew it was wrong, many people were harmed and I’m so sorry.” Her pleading guilty helped her avoid a trial in court. When is Jen Shah’s sentencing? Jen Shah’s sentencing hearing is on Friday. The federal prosecutors are asking for awarding her at least 10 years behind bars. The government claims she was a part of a nationwide telemarketing scheme that defrauded hundreds of people. Some co-conspirators in the case had already pleaded guilty, including Shah's longtime assistant Stuart Smith. When did Jen Shah plead guilty? What is her crime? Jen Shah pleaded guilty in June last year, which helped her avoid the trial. US Attorney Damian Williams stated that Jennifer Shah was a key player in a nationwide scheme that preyed on elderly and vulnerable victims. According to the claims, those victims were sold false promises of financial security, but instead, Shah and her co-conspirators defrauded them and left them with nothing. Prosecutors said Jennifer Shah and others engaged in a wide-ranging telemarketing scheme that defrauded hundreds of victims across the United States, many of whom were over the age of 55, by selling them so-called "business services" in connection with the victims' purported online businesses from 2012 to March 2021. In order to carry out the scheme, Shah and others engaged in a widespread, coordinated effort to traffic in lists of potential victims, or "leads," many of whom had previously invested in an online business with other scheme participants. According to prosecutors, Shah began operating a Manhattan-based sales floor in 2017 that sold downstream "business opportunity" products to victims on lead lists. Shaw reportedly ran the day-to-day operations of the Manhattan sales floor between 2018 and 2020. According to them, she later relocated the sales floor to Kosovo to avoid law enforcement and regulatory scrutiny. Jen Shah's restraining order Along with the defrauding case, a restraining order back from 2019 might also come back to haunt her as she awaits her sentencing judgment on Friday. Prosecutors in Jen's federal fraud case have recently filed new documents this week asking the court to consider a 2019 restraining order obtained by a woman who claims she had a falling out with the 'Housewives of Salt Lake City' star. Prosecutors want the judge to hear what the woman said because they believe it is consistent with how Jen Shah interacted with others. The woman claims Jen had an illicit extra-marital affair with her husband. When she revealed this to Jen’s husband, the Bravo star allegedly harassed and stalked her, including showing up unannounced on her doorstep at 2:30 AM in one such instance. However, Priya Chaudhry, Shah's attorney, made counterclaims in a statement that read, “We have proof that this woman is lying about this alleged affair—an email from this woman to Ms. Shah's husband dated 4 days after the restraining order in which she acknowledges that there was no affair. This scorned woman lied to the prosecutors in an attempt to exact her own revenge against Jen Shah." Chaudhry further states that Jen Shah accepts full responsibility for her errors and accepts that she should be punished, it's unfortunate that people with a vendetta would use this opportunity to undermine justice.

Who is Jen Shah? Know about Jen Shah’s sentencing timing & restraining order. When did she plead guilty?

`The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City` star Jen Shah has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection to an alleged telemarketing scam. As per People, Jen appeared in a New York court on Monday to take part in a change of plea hearing. She switched her original plea of not guilty to guilty, taking responsibility for the fraud and money laundering charges.

"Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line. She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed. Ms. Shah is also sorry for disappointing her husband, children, family, friends, and supporters. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family," Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for the 48-year-old reality star told the publication.

Shah was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. She faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison.

Her sentencing is now scheduled for November.Shah was arrested in March 2021 alongside her assistant, Stuart Smith, for allegedly targeting individuals in a nationwide scheme. At the time, both Shah and Smith, 43, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Shah and Smith initially pleaded not guilty in April. But her assistant changed his plea to guilty that November.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/monica-dogra-reveals-when-she-first-identified-as-pansexual-and-talks-about-her-secret-marriage-496355" hreflang="en">Monica Dogra reveals when she first identified as pansexual and talks about her secret marriage</a>

`The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City` star Jen Shah has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection to an alleged telemarketing scam. As per People, Jen appeared in a New York court on Monday to take part in a change of plea hearing.

`The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City` star Jen Shah has pleaded guilty to criminal charges in connection to an alleged telemarketing scam. As per People, Jen appeared in a New York court on Monday to take part in a change of plea hearing. She switched her original plea of not guilty to guilty, taking responsibility for the fraud and money laundering charges. "Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line. She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed. Ms. Shah is also sorry for disappointing her husband, children, family, friends, and supporters. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family," Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for the 48-year-old reality star told the publication. Shah was charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing. She faces a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in prison. Her sentencing is now scheduled for November.Shah was arrested in March 2021 alongside her assistant, Stuart Smith, for allegedly targeting individuals in a nationwide scheme. At the time, both Shah and Smith, 43, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Shah and Smith initially pleaded not guilty in April. But her assistant changed his plea to guilty that November. Also read: Monica Dogra reveals when she first identified as pansexual and talks about her secret marriage

American reality star Jen Shah pleads guilty in fraud case