Jen Shah and her husband, Sharif “Coach” Shah, have been caught in the middle of the reality star’s legal troubles.
In her first sit-down interview since serving time for her role in the telemarketing fraud scheme, Bravolebrity told People magazine that her “involvement in the conspiracy coincided with (her) personal pain.”
Jen claimed that she and Sharif, who married in August 1994, were separated and “on the verge of divorce” at the time, which “clouded (her) judgment.”
Although she did not specify the timeline of their relationship’s conflicts, the conspiracy involving Jen lasted from approximately 2012 to 2021.
Jen also said she was “stricken by the immeasurable sadness of losing my grandmother, father, and aunt in such a short period of time” amid her own legal scandal.
“I was experiencing worsening symptoms of my previously diagnosed depression,” she recalled.
Because of these factors, Jen said, she “made terrible business decisions and ignored serious red flags.”
She continued, “I have allowed the lines between personal friendships and ethical business practices to become blurred, and essentially I trusted the wrong people at a very vulnerable time in my life.”
Jen also clarified that it’s her responsibility to be “diligent” and insisted she’s not making “excuses” for her misconduct.
“I wasn’t making good business decisions, but you wake up one morning and all of a sudden you’re like, ‘Oh, I made a bad business decision,'” she said. “This is the totality of everything that was going on and a duplication of what I was dealing with personally.
“I tried to avoid all that with alcohol, numb it, and avoid it,” Jen added.
Before the “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in July 2022, she and Sharif put up a united front.
Her “helpless” partner said on the November 2022 episode that it was “painful” not being able to “control the outcome” and “fix” it.
The following month, he wrote a letter to Jen’s judge asking for leniency ahead of her sentencing, labeling her a “really good woman”.
The two remained strong during Jen’s 33 months in prison, with Jen wishing Shareef a happy Valentine’s Day on Instagram and thanking her for “standing by[her]side and never letting go of[her]hand.”
The couple, who have two sons, celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary together in August 2025.
She was released from the federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas, four months later.
