For the greater part of 2021, reality star Jen Shah has been embroiled in hefty legal trouble stemming from an alleged telemarketing scheme. She was arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, which could potentially result in a 20-plus year prison sentence. The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City alum is now out on bail, but her court case has just hit yet another major setback.
It all started with the release of Hulu’s latest Bravo-themed documentary, The Housewife & the Shah Shocker. The film investigates the accusations leveled at Jen Shah – with interviews coming from her own family, alleged victims, and even Homeland Security agents involved in the case. Shah's legal team quickly filed to have her case thrown out entirely because of it, citing that the comments made by HSI didn't “protect Ms. Shah’s rights.” In fact, they claimed it “destroyed any chance” for the presumption of innocence and a fair trial.
However, the judge in the case has since denied her motion, according to official court documents obtained by People. The presiding judge, Sidney H. Stein, explained that a federal indictment dismissal would be “an extreme sanction” undertaken “only in the rare case.” A rarity that apparently does not apply to the Bravo star. Stein also wrote on their court order
There has been no evidence whatsoever proffered to suggest that Shah's right to a fair trial has been compromised or prejudiced in any respect… An appropriate voir dire of potential jurors will be able to determine if the jury pool has been tainted in any way by [The Housewife & the Shah Shocker].
This marks the second time Jen Shah has attempted to have her court case thrown out, only for it to be denied by the judge. In the first attempt, the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star claimed that the arresting officers and detectives had tried to “coerce” her during an interrogation. Her legal team also previously endeavored to have certain leaked statements from the federal government – that pin Shah as one of the “senior-ranking participants” in the telemarketing scheme – be stricken or redacted from the public record because they were “highly prejudicial.”
The reality TV star hasn't been getting much support from her RHSLC co-stars, either. Meredith Marks, in fact, has outright accused her former friend of stealing from her boutique in the past. Ahead of the sophomore season premiere, Marks even took to shading her co-star using the very same boutique.
Despite the continuous legal disappointments, Jen Shah still maintains her innocence. Unfortunately, her former right hand man/personal assistant Stuart Smith has lately decided to change his plea for his own charges to guilty. So it would seem that more trouble may potentially lie ahead for Shah.
