Exclusive

How Real Housewives of Salt Lake City Will Address Jen Shah's Guilty Plea on Season 3

How will Jen Shah's legal drama play out on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's upcoming third season? Find out how filming and the season's overall arc will be affected by her guilty plea.

By Allison Crist Jul 13, 2022 10:03 PMTags
Watch: Andy Cohen REACTS to RHOSLC Star Jen Shah's Guilty Plea

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's upcoming season is certainly going to end with a bang.

A source close to production exclusively tells E! News that filming for RHOSLC's upcoming third season had recently come to a close, but picked back up after Jen Shah plead guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing on July 11. "There were no cameras in the courtroom," the insider shared, "but production shot confessionals on the women's reactions that will likely be a part of season three."

"There is no way to know what is going to happen," the source added, though they did reveal RHOSLC's cameras are not currently following Jen—who's due back in New York for sentencing on November 28—as the show "technically has wrapped with her and this is not a part of the production cycle." 

When it comes to the rest of the RHOSLC cast, they're all on summer break. Several ladies were on vacation during Jen's plea reversal, meaning they might not be featured in the recently filmed confessionals. (Heather Gay and Meredith Marks both accompanied Jen to NYC before she officially changed her plea).

photos
Wildest Moments From RHOSLC Season 2

That's not to say there's no animosity among the cast. 

Another source told E! News on July 12 that several of Jen's co-stars were "in shock" and "disappointed" to learn she plead guilty. "The whole time Jen has never wavered on maintaining her innocence," the insider shared, adding that some of the cast is now "feeling duped, misled and lied to by their friend."

Chad Kirkland/Bravo

Filming or not, Jen is continuing to await sentencing. She faces a maximum of 30 years in prison and up to $9.5 million in fines and restitution, in addition to a $6 million forfeiture.

During the July 11 proceedings, Jen told the court that she had "agreed with others to commit with wire fraud" and "knew it misled" many victims, some of whom she said were over the age of 55. "[I] knew it was wrong," Shah said during the hearing, per NBC News. "Many people were harmed and I'm so sorry." 

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, issued a statement shortly after her plea change. "Jennifer Shah was a key participant in a nationwide scheme that targeted elderly, vulnerable victims," he said, per a press release. "These victims were sold false promises of financial security but instead Shah and her co-conspirators defrauded them out of their savings and left them with nothing to show for it. This Office is committed to rooting out these schemes whatever form they take."

photos
Wild Reality TV Scandals

Shah's attorney Priya Chaudhry also made a statement, telling E! News, "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. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family. "

Catch up with past seasons of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Peacock.

(E!, Bravo and Peacock are all part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Peacock is live now! Check out NBCU's streaming service here.