Jen Shah Will Reportedly Spend One Less Year In Prison

Jen Shah went from well-known reality star to prison inmate in a hurry. Most people didn't know who Shah was until she began starring in the Bravo hit "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City," which premiered in 2020. Shah enjoyed a few seasons (and a lot of drama) during her time on the show, though there's no doubt that one of her biggest headlines came in 2021 when police arrested the star and her assistant, Stuart Smith. While it made for a great headline, it certainly flipped Shah's world upside-down.

According to the United States Department of Justice, Shah and Smith were arrested in a telemarketing scheme. "Jennifer Shah, who portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on 'reality' television, and Stuart Smith, who is portrayed as Shah's 'first assistant,' allegedly generated and sold 'lead lists' of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said in the press release. Strauss added that Shah and Smith were "motivated by greed, to steal victims' money." Shah initially pled not guilty, but it didn't take long for her to change her plea in hopes of reducing her sentence. According to People, the reality star admitted her guilt in 2022.

In February, Shah began serving her 78-month sentence at a prison in Texas — but it looks like she won't be staying as long as expected.

There's finally some good news on the horizon for "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah. People learned from the Bureau of Prisons' inmate database that Shah's sentence had been reduced by a year with a new release date of August 30, 2028. It is unclear why Shah's sentence has been reduced, but a rep for the reality star released a statement revealing how Shah is doing behind bars. "I have spoken with my client Jen Shah over the phone this week — she is doing well and remains committed towards making her victims whole," her rep shared. Additionally, Shah is trying to make right, even while she's in prison. "She has initiated her payments towards restitution, and we hope to have her home as soon as possible so that she may resume life with her family and work, putting this chapter of her life behind her," the rep added.

When Shah headed to prison in February, she shared her last Instagram post to her feed. "I am surrendering to serve a sentence in a federal prison today," she began the lengthy post. "It is the price I must pay for the bad decisions I made. People got hurt because of my decisions. While incarcerated, I will work to make amends and reconcile with the victims of my crime." Shah added that her team would manage the account while she was behind bars — she's already written a few journal entries.