Jen Shahis hoping her legal troubles will soon come to an end.
In March, Shah and her assistant Stuart Smithwere arrested and chargedwith one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with telemarketing — through which they allegedly victimized 10 or more persons over the age of 55 — and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
Jen Shah/Instagram
The pairpleaded not guiltyduring an arraignment in April, but late November, Smith, 43,changed his plea to guiltyand awaits a sentencing hearing on March 3rd. He faces a maximum of 70 years in prison, the presiding judge said during the plea hearing. Meanwhile, Shah hasmaintained her innocence.
In Hulu’s new documentary,The Housewife & the Shah Shocker,various legal experts, proclaimed Bravo superfans, family and friends of Shah and purported telemarketing scam victims speak out about the case.
Jen Shah.Chad Kirkland/Bravo/ Getty
In her Nov. 30 filing, Shah’s attorney argued that the documentary’s interviews with two agents of Homeland Security Investigations provided information about her case that was not publicly available, also including their opinions on the “lavish lifestyle” of “fraudsters” in an attempt to “poison the jury pool.”
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“Their behavior has destroyed any chance that Ms. Shah will have a fair trial with an impartial jury,” her attorney wrote of the film in a letter to the judge.
“Given both the extensive viewership of Hulu nationwide and Ms. Shah’s public notoriety, a change in venue would not protect Ms. Shah’s rights, nor would alternative remedies such as a detailedvoir direor emphatic jury instructions,” the court documents continued, before requesting the indictment be dismissed.
Attorneys for Shah did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment Thursday.
During arecent episodeofRHOSLC,Shah opened up about her legal troubles, telling one of her lawyers, Clayton Simms, that the ordeal was “surreal.”
“What I have been accused of is absolutely the complete opposite of anything I would do in my life. If I have any fault, it’s because I’m too giving and I help too many people,” she added in a confessional.
The Housewife & the Shah Shockerhit Hulu on Monday.
source: people.com
