Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah was sentenced Friday to six and a half years in prison.
In July, the television actress pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud by telemarketing to vulnerable people.
Shah apologized for her role, saying she would “work for the rest of her life to make things right.”
As part of a plea deal, she agreed to pay $6.5m (£5.3m) in restitution.
It will also pay up to $9.5m (£7.8m) in compensation.
The 78-month sentence came after Shah’s lawyers asked for three years in prison and prosecutors recommended 10 years.
Prosecutors say Shah, 49, and her former assistant Stuart Smith, who also pleaded guilty, created and sold lists of vulnerable victims, including the elderly, to other participants in the fraud scheme. In court filings, authorities argued that Shah was the “most culpable” person charged in the case.
According to the prosecutor’s office, this scheme has defrauded thousands of people since 2012. The victims included a 70-year-old widow who lost half of her savings and another person with a health condition who became homeless after losing money through a fraudulent business opportunity payment scheme, according to victim statements.
Shah was arrested in March 2021 while filming Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.
During the show, the reality star often touted her lavish lifestyle, including expensive clothes, jewelry and a team of several assistants dubbed the “Chess Squad.”
She initially pleaded not guilty and maintained her innocence throughout most of the show’s third season.
Shah’s previous descriptions of her work and financial situation have often caused confusion among fellow cast members and viewers.
“What I’ve been doing for the last 20 years is direct response marketing. I make millions,” she said in an interview in 2019.
Shah will turn himself in to federal prison on February 17.
