Someone call Andy ASAP because this…is…a….mess!
Source: Bravo / Bravo TV
A Real Housewife of Salt Lake City is facing some shocking and far from “Shah-mazing” charges involving a massive multiyear scam. Jen Shah has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
A news release from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the special agent in charge of the New York field office of Homeland Security, and the commissioner of the New York City Police Department reports that Jen and her “first” assistant/partner, Stuart Smith were taken into custody and are appearing in court before a federal judge.
In the release, the feds are clearly NONE too pleased with the housewife who they allege was flaunting massive wealth while allegedly defrauding people who were often elderly, unsuspecting victims.
HSI Special Agent-in-Charge Peter C. Fitzhugh said:
“Shah and Smith flaunted their lavish lifestyle to the public as a symbol of their ‘success.’ In reality, they allegedly built their opulent lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people. As alleged, disturbingly, Shah and Smith objectified their very real human victims as ‘leads’ to be bought and sold, offering their personal information for sale to other members of their fraud ring. Working with our partners at the NYPD and the United States Attorney’s Office, SDNY, and with the assistance of HSI Salt Lake City, HSI New York worked to ensure that Shah and Smith will answer for their alleged crimes. As a result, their new reality may very well turn out differently than they expected.”
Jen and Smith are accused of carrying out a wide-ranging telemarketing scheme that started in 2012 and continued up until this week where they would defraud hundreds of victims by selling those victims so-called “business services” in connection with the victims’ purported online businesses. Those victims many of whom were 55 and over were “sold” tax preparation and website design services, although “many victims were elderly and did not own a computer.”
That’s not all however, the feds also allege that there were other scammers involved, and the duo allegedly “generated and sold leads to other participants” for use by their telemarketing sales floors. The “lead list” was passed around and used to defraud more victims.
Conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing has a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and conspiracy to commit money laundering carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City is currently filming and reportedly the ladies were scheduled to leave today for a cast trip. On Jen’s IG story she was seen getting glammed up, seemingly to film the show.
In related news, a September 2020 tweet from Jen is NOT aging well. “It reads Teresa [Guidice] walked so I could run” in reference to Jen almost “launching a glass” at her castmates.
Coincidentally Teresa who’s of Real Housewives of New Jersey fame was sentenced to 15 months in jail after being found guilty of mail, wire, and bankruptcy fraud.
Jah who was a standout on the premiere season of RHOSLC has made headlines for numerous reasons including her explosive blowups in the show…
She was also previously blasted for saying on IG live that unnamed white women’s treatment of her was like “having a knee on her neck.”
YIKES!
What do YOU think about Jen Shah’s wire fraud arrest???