More than 30 different iterations of The Real Housewives exist out there in the world, detailing the opulent lives of a range of women from across the globe.
Here in the states, the eleven regional versions of the series are most popular, with people nearby — or in — the show’s titular cities gobbling up all that area-specific drama like it’s Thanksgiving Day. But in other areas of the world, people are more focused on the 21 international adaptations, which are set in cities like Dubai, Sydney, Athens, Nairobi, Auckland, and Bangkok.
Regardless of where it’s set, people have expectations of any Real Housewives offering. Drama is the name of the game in this franchise, and — while each iteration is absolutely seeped in its own brand of spectacle — The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City currently takes the cake. Well, Jen Shah — a staple of the RHOSLC cast — is, at least. And she’s certainly dished up plenty of drama over the years, the most shocking of which is undeniably the criminal charges for which she’s currently serving jail time.
Jen Shah’s career
Shah lives a luxurious life — that much is clear from her time on RHOSLC. The majority of this lifestyle is bankrolled by her time in the Real Housewives family, along with her husband’s work as an assistant coach for the University of Utah’s football team and her business pursuits. Over the years, Shah has been attached to several businesses, including JXA Fashion, Shah Beauty, and The Real Shah Lashes, but it is her marketing firm that pulled in the real money — and, eventually, fraud charges.
Why is Jen Shah in prison?
In 2021, an investigation into Shah’s business practices found the now 50-year-old guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud, after the star spent nearly a decade defrauding largely senior victims. The telemarketing scheme reportedly targeted older members of the public and offered a range of services, many of which were misleading, and ultimately leeched hundreds of thousands of dollars from a range of people.
A judge found Shah guilty and, after Shah pled guilty in 2022, sentenced her to six and a half years in prison. The sentence for similar crimes can sometimes stretch between 20 and 30 years, so the Bravo star got off easy, but she’ll still serve more than a half-decade behind bars. Her prison sentence began in February 2023.
What is Jen Shah’s net worth now?
Back before her case made it to court, Shah was reportedly worth around $3 million, at least. The accuracy of that number is uncertain, given Shah’s shady business practices, but there’s no argument that she was a millionaire. Following her sentencing, however, the former RHOSLC star was ordered to pay $9.5 million in restitution, according to NBC News. She’s already paid $6.5 million, according to Women’s Health, but has a few million more to go before she’s back at even.
By the time she’s out of prison, this number likely will have dropped even more, but as of 2023 Shah’s net worth is estimated at less than $30,000, according to Celebrity Net Worth. That’s a far cry from the millions she boasted only a few years ago, but it hardly counts as her money, at this point. That amount — and plenty more — is still owed to Shah’s victims, which will likely leave her with nothing but zeroes in her bank account by the time she’s no longer behind bars.