When The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City premiered in 2020, Jen Shah became a sensation practically overnight - thanks to her outspoken personality and uncanny ability to cause drama.
Her frequent - and explosive - blowouts with fellow castmates were soon a focal point of the Bravo show, as well as her extreme spending habits.
The reality star, now 49, would often flaunt her lavish lifestyle throughout the reality series - toting around designer purses, bragging about taking private jet rides, buying her co-stars expensive jewelry pieces, and throwing glamorous parties.
But her life of luxury was blown apart when it was revealed that she had built her wealth on an elaborate scam - and while the mother-of-two did her Best Private University to keep up her image of exuberant glamour, it all came crashing down when she was arrested in March 2021 and charged with fraud in connection to a $5 million telemarketing scam.
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for her involvement in a $5 million telemarketing scam
She spent years flaunting her lavish lifestyle on the show, but it was revealed during the trial that many of Jen's designer handbags and opulent jewelry pieces were fake
It was a shock revelation that proved even further that the ostentatious and glamorous person who once reigned the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City was a far cry from the real Jen
It was later brought to light that Jen had scammed thousands of victims, most of whom were elderly, out of hundreds of thousands of dollars each.
The scams - which were perpetrated with the help of her assistant Stuart Smith - involved promising business coaching to some victims and selling others' details on what she referred to as 'lead lists'.
Once they were placed on such a list, the victims - either through lack of knowledge or technological aptitude - were unable to unsubscribe, and were hooked into never-ending payments
The scheme has now landed the former TV star behind the bars, with her receiving a six-and-a-half year sentence after pleading guilty in July of last year.
During the legal proceedings, it was also revealed that many of Jen's designer handbags and opulent jewelry pieces - which she spent years flaunting on the show - were actually fake.
It was a shock revelation that stunned fans of the show, many of whom had come to idolize the 49-year-old's seemingly-lavish wardrobe, much of which she proudly flaunted on the hit Bravo series.
The news also proved even further that the ostentatious and glamorous person who once reigned the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City was a far cry from the real Jen.
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