Jen Shah was sentenced to 78 months in prison for her role in a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme (2023)

Jennifer Shah was sentenced to 6½ years in prison with five years probation after pleading guilty to wire fraud in a telemarketing scheme targeting seniors.

After a sentencing hearing that lasted approximately one hour and 30 minutes, US District Court Judge Sidney Stein ruled that Shah should forfeit $6.5 million and pay more than $6.6 million in damages.

She was ordered to report to prison by February 17.

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Judge Stein noted that he not only sentenced her to parole under the recommendation (135–168 months), but also below what the government recommended (110 months).

However, he believed the verdict reflected "the seriousness of the crime" and that it was a sufficient punishment to prevent a recidivism and prevent others from committing the same type of crime.

The judge said Shah had shown remorse but noted he didn't know "if she really appreciates the harm" she caused to the victims.

Jennifer Shah exits federal court in New York on Friday, January 6, 2023. A judge has sentenced a member of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City to 6.5 years in prison for helping to scam thousands of people across the country in a telemarketing scam.(AP Photos)

"This crime was extensive," he added, stressing that she played an important role in the fraud scheme.

Judge Stein wished her luck and said he hoped that when she was released from prison she would be able to rebuild her life and pay the victims.

Shah would sometimes speak before the judge and burst into tears, particularly when apologizing to his family. She acknowledged the "shame, pain and tears" she had caused her husband and children.

"I failed and let you down," she said.

Sharrieff Shah, husband of Jennifer Shah, exited federal court in New York on Friday, January 6, 2023 after a judge sentenced his wife to 6.5 years in prison.(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

She also apologized to the victims and promised to compensate them.

"I want to apologize to all the victims and their families," she said. "I'm sincerely sorry. I promise to pay back every penny. … I am deeply sorry.”

After Shah's sentence was served, the reality star was mobbed by fans outside the courtroom. Her husband, Sharrieff Shah, an assistant football coach at the University of Utah, walked ahead of his wife as she looked expressionless on the way out.

Crowds of fans tried to catch a glimpse of "Real Housewives" star Jen Shah as she exited court.(FreedomNewsTV)

(Video) Jen Shah Gets 6.5 Years In Prison For Telemarketing Fraud Scheme

"With today's sentencing, Jennifer Shah finally faces the consequences of many years spent hunting down elderly and vulnerable victims," ​​US Attorney Damian Williams said in a statement. “These individuals were lured by false promises of financial security, but in reality Shah and his co-conspirators cheated them of their savings and left them nothing to show for it.

"This conviction and ruling demonstrate once again that we remain vigorous in protecting victims of financial fraud and holding those involved in fraudulent schemes accountable."

Jennifer Shah arrives at federal court in New York on Friday.(AP)

Judge Stein took office at around 10:30 a.m. to begin sentencing, and Shah sat between his two attorneys at the defense table.

The courtroom was packed with "Real Housewives" fans anxiously awaiting Shah's sentencing.

The reality star appeared to be on a serious demeanor and appeared strained ahead of her sentencing. Shah looked at her husband, who was sitting on the gallery, just before the sentence began.

The Justice Department initially called for a decade behind bars"Real Housewives of Salt Lake City"Star. Her legal team sought a three-year sentence, previously calling Shah "an exceptional mother and a good woman who has already been severely punished for the sins of her past."

She originally faced up to 50 years in prison.

Shah and his longtime assistant, Stuart Smith, were “each charged with conspiracy to commit telemarketing wire fraud, by which they victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55, resulting in a maximum sentence of 30 years and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which a maximum sentence of 20 years," the Justice Department said in a statement released at the time of her arrest.

Jen Shah was convicted in her federal fraud case on Friday.(Bravo)

"The maximum possible penalties in this case are being prescribed by Congress and are provided here for informational purposes only, as each conviction of the defendants will be determined by the judge."

The couple used third-party names for their business units, according to the original indictment. Shah and Smith allegedly told victims to use encrypted messages as a means of communication and instructed users to send payments to offshore accounts.

The case was investigated by the El Dorado Task Force of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in New York with assistance from HSI Salt Lake.

“Shah's fraud scheme targeted and exploited vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people. She and her co-conspirators built their publicly luxurious lifestyles on the false promises of financial independence offered to the victims — victims for whom they were only 'leads' to be bought and sold," said Ivan J. Arvelo, special agent in Homeland Security Investigations in NYC.

"Shah's crimes had a deep and lasting impact on the lives of his victims and today's significant conviction and seizure reflects the seriousness of his crimes," Arvelo continued. “HSI, along with our partners at the New York City Police Department and the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, remains committed to using our expertise in financial investigations to investigate and prosecute those identified as the most vulnerable members of our... attack society."

She initially pleaded not guilty to the allegations in 2021. A year later, Shah stepped inguiltyas part of a settlement in which the money laundering allegation was dropped. She agreed to forfeit $6.5 million and pay up to $9.5 million in damages.

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Bravo cameras rolled as authorities entered the Housewives production and searched for Shah. Minutes before Homeland Security arrived at the beauty lab parking lot, Shah received a call from an unknown person and abruptly dropped the footage.

Shah was arrested on March 30, 2021 on his way home.

"Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah pleaded guilty in July to "putting that ordeal behind me," according to her attorney.(Chad Kirkland/Bravo)

(Video) Jen Shah, 'Real Housewives' star, sentenced to 6 1/2 years for telemarketing fraud

“Jennifer Shah, presenting herself as a wealthy and successful businesswomanon reality television, and Stuart Smith, portrayed as Shah's 'first assistant', allegedly created and sold 'ancestral lists' of innocent individuals to other members of his scheme in order to repeatedly defraud them," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss said.

"In reality, and as claimed, the so-called business opportunities foisted on the victims by Shah, Smith and their co-conspirators were just fraudulent schemes motivated by greed to steal the victims' money. Now these defendants face jail time for his alleged crimes."

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Before the July guilty plea, Shah spent over a year pleading his innocence on RHOSLC, even using "The only thing I'mvolved is being Shah-mazing" as a catchphrase for his introduction to Season 2 of Housewives.

Her attorney, Priya Chaudhry, confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time that Shah's guilty plea was based on her desire to move on with her life and "put this ordeal behind her."

Jen Shah was arrested in March 2021 and charged under the national telemarketing scheme.(Rick Bowmer)

“Ms Shah is a good woman who has crossed the line. She takes full responsibility for her actions and offers her deepest apologies to all who have been harmed," Chaudhry said.

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“Ms Shah also regrets having let down her husband, children, family, friends and supporters. Jen pleaded guilty because she wants to pay her debts to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family."