Jen Shah Likens First Day Of Prison To A ‘BravoCon Meet And Greet’

"Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" star Jen Shah likened her first day of prison to a "BravoCon meet and greet" in new interview. The Jen Shah Likens First Day Of Prison To A ‘BravoCon Meet And Greet’ first appeared on The Blast

“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah likened her first day in federal prison to a “BravoCon meet and greet” in her first interview since being released.

Jen Shah was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison in January 2023 after pleading guilty to her role in running a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims.

Jen Shah Talks About First Day In Prison, Said It Was Like A ‘BravoCon Meet And Greet’

Speaking with PEOPLE, Shah opened up about life as a public figure behind bars.

“Listen, it was like a BravoCon meet and greet when I got there,” she said. “Literally.”

BravoCon is the network’s massive fan convention featuring more than 100 Bravolebs held every other year.

“I didn’t know that there were so many fans there,” Shah continued. “I had people coming up to me, saying, ‘Hi, I’m the President of the Salt Lake City fan club out of Louisiana.”

Jen Shah Says Being A Former ‘Real Housewives’ Star Brought A Lot Of Attention To Her In Prison

The attention wasn’t always welcomed, though. According to Shah, the staff at FPC Bryan in Texas did things that brought “unnecessary” attention to her.

“I was required to carry a pink card,” she said, describing it as the “scarlet letter.”

Shah explained that wearing the pink card placed a target on her back and said it also came with strict requirements.

“I had to carry it around and check in with officers every two hours,” she said.

Jen Shah Admits She Made The ‘Wrong Decisions’ Before Being Sentenced

“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” viewers saw a portion of Shah’s legal battles during earlier seasons of the show. However, her lawyers barred her from sharing too much information on camera.

According to the Department of Justice, Shah pleaded guilty in June 2022 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing.

US Attorney Damiian Williams said Shah was a “key participant” in a nationwide plot that “targeted the elderly, vulnerable victims” by selling “false promises of financial security.”

The press release claimed that Shah, along with others, engaged in a “widespread coordinated effort” to get victims to invest in companies that had little to no value.

In her interview with PEOPLE, Shah admitted she was “wrong” for what she did. “I made wrong decisions. I should have done things differently. I should have been more diligent. And I’m deeply remorseful and sorry for my actions and for my part. I take full responsibility,” she added.

Shah Details How She Became Involved In The Reported Scheme That Sent Her To Prison

The reported scheme used lead lists containing customer information that had been sold to different telemarketing floors to pressure them into purchasing more services.

The US government alleged that Shah was the mastermind behind the lists, ultimately controlling what was offered and how much to charge.

“It’s a long and a very complex journey that brought me to this point,” Shah said about her role in the ordeal. “And without re-litigating it, I became involved in the case because I made horrible business decisions and I disregarded huge red flags. I allowed the lines to be blurred between personal friendships and ethical business practices. And in essence, I trusted the wrong people at a very vulnerable time in my life.”

Shah went on to say that she believed she was doing the “right thing” at one point. “I was working under people who were running these companies,” she said.

Down the line, however, the individuals Shah worked with allegedly began working with others, who engaged in unethical behavior. “Once that initial fulfillment was happening, things were happening beyond the point of sale with that customer that I didn’t know about,” she added.

Could Shah Return To The ‘Real Housewives Of Salt Lake City’?

Now that Shah is a free woman, could she return to the “Real Housewives” franchise, as some of the network’s other previously arrested stars have, such as Teresa Giudice?

It’s hard to say for certain; however, Shah’s former co-star Meredith Marks seemed open to the idea in 2024.

“Accountability goes a long way in our circle,” she told PEOPLE. “If you say, ‘Look, I screwed up and I made a mistake and I’m sorry’ — that matters. If she’s taking accountability and doing what she needs to do to make it better, that’s the best she can do right now. There’s nothing else she can do beyond that.”

Shah may have a few others to convince, though. According to The Blast, Bravo’s head honcho and “Housewives” godfather Andy Cohen previously said he “never” wants to see Shah again.

The Jen Shah Likens First Day Of Prison To A ‘BravoCon Meet And Greet’ first appeared on The Blast