The real housewife's release date from prison has been moved up.
The “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to conduct wire fraud for her role in the 2012–2021 scam. Shah received a 78-month sentence from US District Judge Sidney H. Stein in January.
After reporting to Bryan Federal Prison Camp (FPC) last month in Bryan, Texas, the 49-year-old reality star will be released on Aug. 30, 2028, a year earlier than her original sentence, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ inmate database. “I have spoken with my client Jen Shah over the phone this week — she is doing well and remains committed towards making her victims whole,” her rep said in a Sunday statement to PEOPLE.
She has initiated her payments towards restitution, and we hope to have her home as soon as possible so that she may resume life with her family and work, putting this chapter of her life behind her.
Shah had a difficult time reporting for her 78-month sentence for her involvement in a telemarketing scheme. “I want to run back into my husband’s arms because I know he will make this nightmare end,” Shah wrote in a journal post shared on Instagram by Sharrieff, her husband with whom she has two children, Sharrieff Jr. and Omar.
“I feel physically sick,” Shah continued. “I feel like I don’t belong here. I thought I could do this but I’ve decided I can’t. I want to go home right now, but I know that is impossible. Please Allah help me, please.”
The Department of Justice announced that Shah and her longtime assistant, Stuart Smith, had been arrested and “charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing through which they victimized ten or more persons over the age of 55, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years” and “one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering,” each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years.
Smith, in November 2021, and Shah, at a hearing in July 2022, changed their pleas to guilty. In January, she was given a 78-month (6.5-year) prison sentence, during which she expressed regret for her crimes. “I am sorry. My actions have hurt innocent people,” said Shah at her sentencing. “I want to apologize by saying, I am doing all I can to earn the funds to pay restitution.”
She is “determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted.” Priya Chaudhry, Shah’s attorney, told PEOPLE in a statement before Shah began serving her sentence last month. “Jen Shah’s resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding,” the statement read.
“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,” Chaudhry added: “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.”
Many predicted that Jen would be eligible for parole after two years, but since she was convicted of federal crimes, she must serve at least 90% of her term in jail. A federal inmate cannot be released earlier than six months before their scheduled discharge date. If she maintains good behavior while in prison, she could be out as early as 2028.