Jen Shah, one of the stars of Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” was sentenced to prison Friday after pleading guilty to a fraud charge earlier this year.
In a Manhattan courtroom, U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein announced that the reality star, 49, will serve a sentence of 6.5 years in prison, the Associated Press reported. Before her sentencing, Shah was facing 11 to 14 years in prison.
“Reality TV has nothing to do with reality,” Shah said during Friday’s hearing. “I am deeply sorry for what I’ve done. My actions have hurt innocent people.”
According to multiple reports, Shah will have to surrender on Feb. 17.
In July, Shah pleaded guilty to the count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She told a judge that in 2012 she took part in a massive telemarketing fraud for nearly a decade that prosecutors say cheated thousands of people nationwide. Some of her victims were over the age of 55.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kiersten Ann Fletcher said during the July hearing that Shah engaged in a fraudulent scheme from 2012 to 2021 that sold bogus services advertised to help people make substantial amounts of money through online businesses.
Shah, who admitted she was aware of the fraud, said, “I knew this was wrong and that many people were harmed, and I’m so sorry.”
On Friday, Shah also pledged to pay $6.5 million in restitution and forfeiture when she gets out of prison.
Shah’s defense lawyer, Priya Chaudhry, said, “Remorse can be genuine even if it shows up late.”
“Her apology is real,” Chaudhry added.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
