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

Jen Shah/Instagram

Fans of Bravo's Real Housewives of Salt Lake City have seen Sharrieff and Jen Shah work through a lot on the reality show.

From their marital ups and downs and Jen's ongoing legal woes — the reality star pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering charges in July 2022 — the pair have had plenty of their relationship play out in the public eye. Jen's alleged financial crimes were also the subjects of a Hulu documentary called The Housewife & the Shah Shocker, which was released in November 2021.

The Shahs wed in 1994, although Jen previously said that they almost got divorced after her father's death led to intense anxiety and depression.

"And now we're in couples therapy. We want to be together," she said after revealing that the pair nearly ended their marriage during the season 2 premiere of RHOSLC. "I was like, 'Yo, no one's leaving nobody in this marriage. You can try, it's not working.' "

On Jan. 6, 2022, Jen was sentenced to 78 months (6.5 years) for her role in orchestrating a fraud scheme. When the decision was handed down, Shah's husband and their sons were in the New York courtroom to support her.

Here's everything to know about Jen Shah's husband, Sharrieff Shah.

He grew up in California

Jen Shah Instagram

Sharrieff was born in Los Angeles in 1971. He attended Susan Miller Dorsey High School, which has a long list of famous alumni, including Robert Kardashian Sr. and Keyshawn Johnson.

He later moved to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah, where he would go on to earn three degrees.

Sharrieff and Jen met in college

Sharrieff and his wife, née Jennifer Lui, were students at the University of Utah when their paths crossed in class, and they eventually became sweethearts.

"We had a class together. I saw her, my heart stops immediately," he recalled in season 1 of RHOSLC. "I walk up to her [and ask], 'Is that seat taken?' She looks at me like, 'There's nobody there. I guess not.' That's how we met." They wed in 1994.

He inspired Jen to convert to Islam

Jen Shah Instagram

Jen grew up with a Hawaiian and Tongan family in Utah and was raised Mormon. She later converted to Islam after marrying Sharrieff.

"I was raised Mormon and that's all I knew until 5 years into my marriage, and I said, 'Hey Sharrieff, why don't you convert to Mormonism?' " Jen said on RHOSLC. "He said, 'Are you kidding me?! They didn't accept Black people into the Mormon church until 1970-something.' "

He and Jen have two sons, Sharrieff Jr. and Omar

Jen Shah Instagram

Jen told the Currently Cringing podcast that she got pregnant with her first son, Sharrieff Shah Jr., in 1994 while she was still in college.

Sharrieff Jr. attended the University of Utah and played for the Utes football team from 2014 to 2016. He is currently an orthopedic medical assistant at the University of Utah Health. The Shahs' younger son, Omar, was born in 2003.

Days before reporting for prison in February 2023, Jen revealed on her Instagram Story that she got a new tattoo, which honors her husband and sons. The ink, which is on her right arm, reads, "Sharrieff Omar Sharrieff."

On the same day, Omar got a tattoo to honor his mom. Jen showed off her son's tattoo on her Instagram Story as well, which reads "Keiki," Jen's middle name.

He is an NCAA Division I football coach

Jen Shah Instagram

Sharrieff is the cornerbacks/co-special teams coordinator for the Utah Utes football team at the University of Utah. As a student, he was a four-year letterman for the Utes from 1990 to 1993.

Prior to coaching, Sharrieff had many professional roles related to the sport. He worked as a football analyst for Salt Lake City's KUTV and KJZZ television stations, as a sideline reporter for ESPN's local affiliate radio station and as a certified football agent for the NFL Player Association from 1996 to 2002.

Among his clients was his younger brother, NFL running back Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar (formerly known as Karim Abdul-Jabbar, born Sharmon Shah), who was the subject of a name controversy with NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

He was a practicing attorney for 12 years

Jen Shah/Instagram

Sharrieff received his bachelor's degree in political science in 1993, his master's degree in exercise and sports science in 1995 and his Juris Doctor in 2001 from the University of Utah. He practiced law in Utah for 12 years, specializing in commercial litigation and personal injury.

His marriage with Jen hit "rock bottom" after Jen's father died

In season 1 of RHOSLC, Jen shared that she started taking medication for anxiety and depression after her father died. Her husband initially opposed her taking antidepressants, suggesting prayer instead, but she said his method "didn't work" and her behavior caused a rift between them.

"I was lashing out at everybody around me," she said. "It almost cost me my marriage. He was done with me acting out, and it wasn't until Sharrieff was like, 'I'm leaving' — that was my rock bottom."

In RHOSLC's season 2 premiere, Jen revealed that they almost got divorced around this time — Sharrieff even contacted a divorce attorney — but they went to couples therapy and reconciled.

He has stuck with Jen through her legal troubles

Jen Shah Instagram

After Jen was arrested and charged in March 2021 in connection with a nationwide telemarketing scheme, she praised her husband for sticking by her side.

"God literally sent an angel down on Earth to me in the form of Coach Shah to deal with my crazy ass," she said during an Instagram Live appearance with Bravo.

She continued, "Coach Shah, he's so motivational. He's so inspiring. Throughout this entire ordeal, it has really, it has brought us closer than ever. Which is, it's crazy to say that, but it really has … Coach Shah and I have had our ups and downs through our marriage …. There's no question in my mind Coach Shah loves me more than anybody or anything in the world and he's just been so, so supportive of me."

During RHOSLC's season 3 premiere in September 2022, Jen spoke about the possibility of serving jail time. "I would be lying if I said I wasn't scared," she said. "I'm not thinking about myself, I'm thinking about my family. I can't imagine being away from them. It would literally kill me."

Later in the season, Jen discussed how her mental health suffered amidst her legal trouble, opening up about her suicide attempt and how her husband was there for her. "I locked myself in the bathroom and Coach [Sharrieff] was so scared, he had to kick the door down because he didn't know what I was going to do, and Coach had to take me to the hospital," she said in a confessional. "I was there for two-and-a-half days."