“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah charged with fraud, money laundering

“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah has been arrested on charges of directing a massive telemarketing fraud scheme, the Justice Department said on Tuesday. Shah faces charges alongside his assistant, Stuart Smith, who was also featured in the inaugural season of the reality TV franchise.

Shah and Smith have been charged with conspiracy to commit electronic fraud in connection with telemarketing and conspiracy to commit money laundering for allegedly selling “prospect lists” for non-existent business opportunities.

The indictment alleges that the two have been implementing the scheme since at least 2012, in which they “generated and sold lead lists to other participants for use by their telemarketing shops knowing that the people they identified as the other participants. ”The program involved the sale of services purporting to help victims run their online businesses and make them more profitable. In reality, “the ‘services’ would bring little or no value to the businesses of the victims,” ​​according to the indictment.

The couple are accused of defrauding hundreds of victims, the Justice Department said.

“Shah and Smith have flaunted their lavish lifestyle to the public as a symbol of their ‘success’. In fact, they would have built their opulent way of life at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working class people, ”Special Agent for Homeland Security Investigations Peter Fitzhugh said in a statement on Tuesday.

Shah’s lifestyle featured prominently in “Real Housewives”. She threw extravagant parties, donned designer outfits, and employed a group of assistants who traveled with her.

During the show’s first season reunion, Shah was asked about her career.

“I run many different businesses and businesses, and many [my assistants] I have different roles in companies, “she said.” I have had direct marketing experience for about 20 years, so our company advertises. We have a platform that helps people acquire customers. So when you are shopping online or on the internet, and something pops up, we have the algorithm that explains why you are receiving this ad. ”

Shah is not the first “housewife” to face legal problems. Star “Real Housewives of New Jersey” Teresa giudice and her then husband Joe giudice served a prison sentence, after several seasons on the show, for mail fraud, wire transfer and bankruptcy.