Over the last few years, a number of Real Housewives stars have faced major legal issues. Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's Jen Shah is a prime example, pleading guilty to wire fraud and more. Today was her long-awaited sentencing day, and she was ultimately ordered to over 6 years in prison.
This news comes to us from NBC, as Jen Shah was only just given her sentencing while appearing in court in New York City. Both legal teams made their own argument, before Judge Sidney Stein announced her decision, ordering Shah to serve 78 months in prison. What's more, she'll be supervised for five years following her release, whenever that might be.
6.5 years is a long chunk of time for anyone and stands in stark juxtaposition to the mere 11 months that Real Housewives of New Jersey's Teresa Giudice served back in 2014. Still, there is some silver lining, as Jen Shah's crimes could have resulted in over a decade of prison time.
Per reports from the courtroom, Jen Shah stood and faced Judge Stein when being sentenced, and didn't show any major signs of emotion. Real Housewives of Salt Lake City fans might be surprised by this, given how emotional she typically is on the Bravo series. Judge Stein made a point to separate what was happening in the courtroom from any character that Shah might have played up on TV, saying:
The character your client plays on the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is simply a character. The Real Housewives franchise involves role playing, editing. People should not confuse, and this court is not going to confuse, the character she plays on an entertainment show with the person I have before me.
Bravo viewers have watched Jen Shah's legal saga play out over the last two seasons of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, with the feds even showing up to a venue where the cast was filming. Through Seasons 2 and 3 she denied any guilt in the charges, before eventually pleading guilty in court. Since then Bravo has seemingly distanced itself from Shah, who didn't participate in the reunion for the current season.
Given how this was covered on the show, all eyes were on what would happen today in court, and how Jen Shah would ultimately be sentenced. Real Housewives of Potomac star Mia Thornton tweeted out that she was praying for her ahead of the sentencing, resulting in some backlash. She issued a follow-up tweet, which reads:
Are we that miserable that we can’t Pray for someone? Even Jesus Prayed with the SINNERS and Thieves. Y’all need to check yourselves! Yes, I’m Praying for my Sis Situation and I stand in that! She’s a Mother and kids need their MOTHER! I want what’s best for everyone. 🙏🏽January 6, 2023
It remains to be seen if Jen Shah and her team issue a response to this sentencing, and if either Andy Cohen or any of the other Salt Lake housewives respond publicly online. It's certainly a sobering set of circumstances, especially given the crimes that Shah ultimately plead guilty to. Smart money says it'll somehow be addressed in the reunion special, which was filmed prior to the sentencing.
