Everything to Know About Real Housewives Star Jen Shah's Fraud Case

Jen Shah's fraud case has taken a new turn.

Shah first rose to fame for her role on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City in 2020 but has recently made headlines for her role in a long-running telemarketing scheme.

During production for season 2 of the reality show in 2021, Shah and one of her assistants, Stuart Smith, were arrested in Utah.

They were later charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Since their initial arrest, the fraud case has continued to evolve; in July 2022, Shah changed her plea to "guilty" while appearing in a New York court.

Here's everything to know about Shah's fraud case, including her recent sentencing.

When was Jen Shah arrested?

Shah was arrested in March 2021 alongside her assistant, Stuart Smith, for allegedly targeting individuals in a nationwide scheme.

"Jennifer Shah, who portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on 'reality' television, and Stuart Smith, who is portrayed as Shah's 'first assistant,' allegedly generated and sold 'lead lists' of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam," Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss previously said in a press release.

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

Chad Kirkland/Bravo/ Getty Jen Shah

What was Jen Shah charged for?

Shah and Smith were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

RELATED: RHOSLC: Jen Shah Reacts to Her Ongoing Legal Woes: 'You're Innocent Until Proven Guilty'

What was Jen Shah's plea?

Shah and Smith initially pleaded not guilty in April 2021. However, her assistant later changed his plea to guilty that November.

Shah maintained her innocence until her recent court hearing in July 2022. Her legal team even attempted to get the charges dismissed in August 2021, but a judge denied the request.

On July 11, Shah switched her original plea of not guilty to guilty.

"Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line," Priya Chaudhry, an attorney for the reality star, told PEOPLE. "She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed. Ms. Shah is also sorry for disappointing her husband, children, family, friends, and supporters. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family."

Andrew Peterson/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

RELATED: Who Is Jen Shah's Husband? All About Sharrieff Shah

Was Jen Shah's fraud case covered on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City?

Shah's fraud case was a major storyline in RHOSLC's second season and continued to be another big plot point in season 3.

Shortly after Shah changed her plea to guilty on July 11, PEOPLE confirmed that the reality star will continue to take part in the upcoming third season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.

"She's had Meredith [Marks] and Heather [Gay] by her side, who have been very supportive of their friend during a difficult time," a source told PEOPLE exclusively. "Obviously her legal troubles have not been easy for Jen, let alone making this decision to plead guilty."

This case is "a very big part of Jen's story," the source continued. "Producers don't want us to stop following it now ... They'll keep filming with her as long as they can, just like they did with Teresa [Giudice]." (The Real Housewives of New Jersey star and her then-husband Joe were  convicted of mail, wire and bankruptcy fraud in Oct. 2014 and each served a prison sentence.)

The case was also covered in the Hulu documentary, titled The Housewife & the Shah Shocker.

What was Jen Shah's sentence?

On Jan. 6, 2023, Shah was sentenced to 78 months (6.5 years) for her role in orchestrating a fraud scheme. In the New York courtroom, Shah apologized for her actions in a statement. "I am sorry. My actions have hurt innocent people," she said, per Inner City Press's Matthew Russell Lee. "I want to apologize by saying, I am doing all I can to earn the funds to pay restitution."

Shah also addressed her younger son and her father: "To my baby Omar, Mommy is so sorry you were woken up at gunpoint. My late father, I want to tell him I am sorry. I am humbled by your love for me."

Shah's sentence will begin on Feb. 17. Though Judge Stein would not specify the facility during the sentencing, Shah will serve out her sentence somewhere in the "Texas region."

After she leaves prison, Judge Stein also ordered Shah to serve five years of supervised release "to make sure you don't end up committing another crime," said Stein.

RELATED: Jen Shah Reports to Prison to Start Her 6.5-Year Sentence for Telemarketing Fraud Scheme

Where is Jen Shah now?

On Feb. 17, PEOPLE confirmed that Shah had entered FPC Bryan Prison in Bryan, Texas. This is the same minimum-security facility former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes is expected to complete her 11-year stint. However, Shah will serve a 78-month sentence.

Ahead of Shah entering prison, her attorney Priya Chaudhry issued a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday, sharing, "Jen Shah's resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding."

"She is committed to serving her sentence with courage and purpose, fueled by her desire to make amends for the hurt she has caused and to help others in her new community," the statement read. "No obstacle will deter Jen from making the most of her time in prison and she's determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted."

The statement continued: "Her path ahead will be filled with challenges, but with the unwavering love and support of her family and friends, Jen is prepared to face these challenges head-on and emerge from this experience a better person who makes a positive impact on others."