Here's How Much RHOSLC Star Jen Shah Is Really Worth

Jen Shah, one of the most iconic and drama-centric members of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, is bringing even more suspense to the table. On March 30, 2021, just a little over one month since the reunion episode aired, Jen was arrested. According to The Salt Lake Tribune, she was "charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing, and conspiracy to commit money laundering." She was detained alongside her "assistant/partner Stuart Smith" and they are both scheduled to appear in federal court.

Those familiar with RHOSLC know that Jen has always been a bit shady when it comes to her money and how she made it. Like most other Housewives, she had her own money and was not reliant on her husband's wealth, although his job did play a role in their lifestyle — Sharrieff Shah was a practicing attorney for many years, then became an agent for the NFL and finally has been coaching the University of Utah's cornerbacks for the past 10 years, according to his bio on the University of Utah's website.

During the season finale of RHOSLC, Jen "attempted to explain her job," Bustle reported, but it just led to further confusion for fans and her fellow Housewives. She claimed she was in advertising and worked in direct marketing. She also said she's the CEO of three businesses — JXA Fashion, Shah Beauty, and The Real Shah Lashes, according to a second Bustle article.

So just how much money do these (potentially illegal) ventures make her?

With the announcement of her arrest in fraud and money laundering, it's difficult to determine exactly how much money she made and where exactly it came from. Regardless of that, however, it seems her efforts have paid off. According to Distractify, Jen has a net worth of close to $3 million. While she originally attributed that to her marketing and business efforts, fans now know she might have come by that money in a less than savory way.

She originally attributed her worth to her 20 years in business and her being a "nerd at heart" (via Bustle). The outlet reported that she has a "love for numbers, spreadsheets, algorithms, data points," and, in her own words, "all the other stuff everyone else finds boring." While the internet has changed her business strategy — she claimed that 90 percent of her work is now online — she said she used to specialize in direct marketing like infomercials and mailers.

She also claimed she was "like the Wizard of Oz, the person behind the curtain that nobody sees, but nobody knows how things are working." That quote hits a bit differently now, now that her fans know that everything wasn't allegedly on the up and up with her career.