In her own words. Jen Shah has been keeping the world updated on her time behind bars through her online diary since reporting to her 78-month prison sentence.
The first set of entries penned by the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star were published in early March 2023. Shah recounts making her way to the Federal Prison Camp Bryan in Texas with her husband, Sharrieff Shah, and son Omar by her side. Jen and Sharrieff, who wed in August 1994, also share son Sharrieff Jr.
“We approached the gates and were told to pull into a parking stall next to a white van. It all happened so fast,” she wrote in her first journal log. “There was a guard waiting outside of our SUV, and two more officers approached, who I later found out one was the Captain. I leaned over to the seat next to me and hugged Omar as tight as I could and cried as I buried my head in his chest and held him as tight as I could not wanting to face reality that this would be the last time I hugged him for a while.”
The Utah native was arrested in March 2021 while in the midst of filming season 2 of the Bravo reality series. Jen was charged, alongside her assistant Stuart Smith, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
At first, the TV personality maintained her innocence but ended up revising her plea to guilty for conspiracy to commit wire fraud in July 2022. The court then dropped the conspiracy to commit money laundering charge.
“In 2012 to March 2021 in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere I agreed with others to commit wire fraud,” Jen said in court at the time. “I knew this was wrong. I knew many people were harmed and I’m so sorry.”
In January 2023, the Bravo star was officially sentenced to six and a half years in prison and five years of supervised release. She was ordered to report to her sentence no later than February 17. One day before her surrendering, Jen sat down with her lawyer for a video interview and reflected on her legal woes.
“There’s so many emotions that I’m feeling right at this moment and getting ready to surrender is emotional,” she said in February 2023. “You know I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous and scared. Because to be away from my family, that’s what I fear the most is you know that transition of not being able to hug and kiss my boys and my husband every day and my mom and but at the same time, all of those emotions I also feel hopeful and am motivated to do a good job, you know, and make the most of my time away.”
Sign up for Us Weekly’s free, daily newsletter and never miss breaking news or exclusive stories about your favorite celebrities, TV shows and more!
Keep scrolling to see what Jen has said about her time in prison:
For more latest TV News Click Here