Disgraced former Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah just scored a small victory as she remains behind bars serving time after pleading guilty to a nationwide telemarketing scheme aimed at swindling the elderly out of their money.
According to the Federal Bureau of Prison’s inmate database, Jen’s release date has been moved up a full year earlier than her original sentence, making her a free woman on August 30, 2028.
Jen was originally sentenced to 6.5 years in federal prison and reported to Bryan Federal Prison Camp back in February to begin serving out her time.
Upon news of her sentence being cut, her rep issued the following statement, “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,” the rep told PEOPLE on Sunday. “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.”
Jen staunchly maintained her innocence for over a year after fraud charges were filed against her, and the aftermath played out heavily on the second and third seasons of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
After her assistant, Stuart Smith, who was also charged and implicated in the crimes, switched his own plea from not guilty to guilty and turned on the star, Jen abruptly and surprisingly also changed her plea to guilty during a July 2022 hearing.
“I am sorry. My actions have hurt innocent people,” Jen told Judge Sidney Stein at the time of her sentencing. “I want to apologize by saying, I am doing all I can to earn the funds to pay restitution.”
Many of Jen’s victims have come forward and recounted how the star and her “marketing” company wiped their savings and retirement accounts clean. Jen has repeatedly claimed that she is “determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted.”
Before Jen reported to prison last month, her attorney Priya Chaudhry told the outlet, “[Jen’s] 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.”