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Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah is being forced out of her luxury $4million Utah home, after she was charged with a vast wire fraud and money laundering scheme in March this year.
Shah. who could be facing up to 30 years in prison if convicted, has to move out of her current residence as it is a luxury rental (and not her own home as fans of the show had believed) which is now being put on the market by its real owners.
The 47-year-old was arrested in Salt Lake City earlier this year along with her assistant Steven Smith, in connection with a nine-year investigation by the New York Police Department, and Homeland Security, spanning at least five states and involving hundreds of victims.
Goodbye: RHOSLC star Jen Shah is being ‘forced out of $4M Utah rental home’ as it goes up for sale before fraud trial… where she faces up to 30 years jail time over ‘$5m telemarketing scheme’
The Sun reports that her home – dubbed the ‘Shah Ski Chalet’ – that has been featured on the show, with fans believing it was owned by Jen and husband Sharrieff, went on the market on Tuesday.
Shah, 47, appears in the most recent series of Bravo’s Real Housewives franchise in Salt Lake City
Texas-based real estate rental company, Univesco Inc., have owned the five-bedroom home since 2014.
Per the report, the seller has already had an offer with the home now ‘pending or under contract’ meaning Jen and her husband will have to vacate swiftly.
Situated at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, the property is perched upon a bluff above the 8th and 10th holes of the renowned Tom Fazio designed Golf Club and Spa, and is said to boast ‘panoramic views and serenity.’
The news comes after it was revealed that as part of the conditions of her release, Shah is prevented from traveling outside of Utah or the United States without the permission of a pretrial officer, and ordered to surrender her passport.
Shah is also not allowed to use a credit card, obtain a new line of credit, or contact her co-accused, Smith, 43, as part of the conditions of her release.
Prosecutors in the Southern District of New York allege the pair had been running a fraudulent telemarketing scheme since at least 2012, which involved a ‘widespread, coordinated effort’ to lure in victims with claims they could help make their online businesses more profitable.
Authorities allege she exploited her fame to buy and sell ‘leads’ on vulnerable victims including the elderly.
‘The so-called business opportunities pushed on the victims by Shah, Smith, and their co-conspirators were just fraudulent schemes, motivated by greed, to steal victims’ money,’ Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said in a press statement.
Shah, who boasted she needed $50,000 per month to maintain her lavish lifestyle in promotional clips for the first season of RHOSLC, appeared in court in Salt Lake City on Tuesday.
Take a picture while you can: The five-bedroom home has an outdoor hot tub that Shah has filmed scenes in for the show
Scenic: The property is perched upon a bluff above the 8th and 10th holes of the renowned Tom Fazio designed Golf Club and Spa, and is said to boast ‘panoramic views and serenity’
Appearances: Jen Shah does not own the $4million home she boasts about on the reality TV show, her attorneys revealed
She and face up to 30 years in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Judge Dustin Pead released the pair on the condition they did not contact one another, didn’t travel outside of Utah, use a credit card or applying for additional lines of credit.
The pair allegedly defrauded hundreds of victims by sharing lists of potential victims, or ‘leads’ – many of whom had previously invested in online businesses – with other telemarketers.
Des res: The home boasts a fireplace and open plan living room
Cosy: The home – dubbed the ‘Shah Ski Chalet’ – that has been featured on the show, with fans believing it was owned by Jen and husband Sharrieff, went on the market on Tuesday
Room to maneuverer: The open plan kitchen area creates plenty of space for a big family running around
Room for more: The many guest bedrooms all feature sofas and TVs providing comfort for those staying overnight
The indictment states that ‘leads’ to unsuspecting victims were generated by sales floors operating in Arizona, Nevada, Utah and elsewhere.
Those sales teams shared their ‘leads’ with telemarketing teams in New York and New Jersey. The different sales teams coordinated with each other to prevent victims from getting refunds, the indictment said.
Shah and Smith personally ‘generated and sold leads’ for use by the telemarketing teams, using their fame to persuade alleged victims to sign up, the indictment claimed.
The pair would receive a share of the illegally-obtained profits from their co-conspirators, it said.
Working from home: A stylish office area featured a bookshelf and a sleek looking desk
Guest room: Another bedroom features an outdoor patio for guests to take in the sweeping views
Raided: An image of the rental shows that there is plenty of space for an avid wine collector
Boudoir: The master bedroom suit features a built in fireplace and lush scenic views of the outside area
A source told The Sun that Shah was filming the second season of the Bravo reality TV show when she was cuffed and arrested by police.
Peter C. Fitzhugh, the Special Agent-in-Charge of the New York Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations, alleged Shah and Smith had exploited their reality TV fame to con their victims.
‘Shah and Smith flaunted their lavish lifestyle to the public as a symbol of their ‘success’.
‘In reality, they allegedly built their opulent lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people.
In reality: Texas-based real estate rental company, Univesco Inc., have owned the five-bedroom home since 2014
Quick sale? The seller has already had an offer with the home now ‘pending or under contract’
‘As alleged, disturbingly, Shah and Smith objectified their very real human victims as ‘leads’ to be bought and sold, offering their personal information for sale to other members of their fraud ring.
New York Police Department Commissioner Dermot Shea praised the the NYPD and its law enforcement partners for bringing the charges.
‘These individuals allegedly targeted and defrauded hundreds of victims but thanks to the hard work of the NYPD and our law enforcement partners, this illegal scheme was brought to an end.
Jen Shah, a cast member from the reality TV series ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ looks on while being driven from the federal courthouse in March
Prosecutors say Shah flaunted her wealth on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City. Season 1 cast members are, from left to right, Lisa Barlow, Mary Cosby, Heather Gay, Jen Shah, Whitney Rose and Meredith Marks
The Manhattan US Attorney Audrey Strauss said: ‘Jennifer Shah, who portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on ‘reality’ television, and Stuart Smith, who is portrayed as Shah’s ‘first assistant,’ allegedly generated and sold ‘lead lists’ of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam.’
According to the Salt Lake City Tribune, Shah would appear on the reality TV show in designer clothes, and have parties in her rented 9,420-square-foot home.
Smith could be seen picking up Shah in a Porsche on the show.
As well as her marketing firm, Shah owns JXA Fashion and Shah Lashes, and recently launched Shah Beauty.
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