Jen Shah is finally owning up to the fraud crimes she committed as part of a years-long telemarketing scheme.
Following her court appearance on Monday, during which she changed her plea from not guilty to guilty, the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City cast member is hoping to repay society for her mistakes as she also takes accountability for disappointing her family, including husband Sharrieff Shah and their two sons, Sharrieff Jr., 28, and Omar, 19.
“Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family,” Jen’s attorney, Priya Chaudhry, told Page Six on July 11. “Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line. 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,” the attorney added.
On Monday, Jen appeared in front of U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein in Manhattan, where she pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud as the U.S. attorney agreed to drop one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Jen also apologized for the crimes, admitting they were “wrong and illegal.”
“In 2012 to March 2021 in the Southern District of New York and elsewhere, I agreed with others to commit wire fraud,” Jen told the judge, via ABC News. “I knew this was wrong. I knew many people were harmed and I’m so sorry.”
Jen then said she and her co-conspirators “used interstate telephones and emails.”
“I knew many of the purchasers were over the age of 55. I am so sorry,” she added.
For more on Jen’s court statements, scroll through the excerpts below.
Although filming on RHOSLC season three wrapped earlier this year, cameras were following Jen as she arrived at court on Monday.
“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. “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].”
Because of her guilty plea, Jen will no longer be forced to endure a trial and will instead go straight to sentencing on November 28, where she’s facing 11 to 14 years in prison, according to her plea agreement.