REALITY DIVA JEN’S HAIRY ADVENTURE!
Salt Lake Housewife visits stylist before entering court plea on $5M fraud charge
REAL HOUSEWIFE Jen Shah did what a girl had to do after her recent arrest by the feds for scamming folks out of a staggering $5 million — the unrepentant diva popped into a beauty salon for a quick refresh!
The 47-year-old Salt Lake City reality star visited her fave stylist, Endo, to get her hair silk-pressed before she pleaded not guilty at a Manhattan arraignment!
She and co-defendant
Stuart Smith are accused of leaving a trail of “hundreds” of victims — many of them elderly — across the nation in long-running telemarketing tax preparation and website development schemes. Lawmen insist many of the alleged victims didn’t even own computers!
But Jen has her priorities, according to hair whisperer Endo, who posted video of his client lounging in a Gucci tracksuit, captioned: “Big chillin, fresh press.”
Although New York City lawmen say the alleged fraud has been going on nearly a decade, sources claim Bravo did a thorough vetting of Shah that turned up “no red flags” when they first cast her for the Salt Lake City installment of the franchise — which will return for a second season.
“There is a comprehensive background check and reports are vetted through the network and the production company,” a source spills.
But background checks are not perfect, adds the source, since they only dredge up past wrongdoing that has come to light, saying: “Bravo is not the FBI!”
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Audrey Strauss charges, “Shah, who portrays herself as a wealthy and successful businessperson on reality television, and Smith, who is portrayed as Shah’s ‘first assistant,’ allegedly generated and sold ‘lead lists’ of innocent individuals for other members of their scheme to repeatedly scam.” Homeland Security Investigations Agent-in-Charge Peter Fitzhugh claims Shah and Smith “built their opulent lifestyle at the expense of vulnerable, often elderly, working-class people.”
But at the virtual arraignment, Shah’s lawyer revealed much of her opulent image is bogus, claiming she doesn’t own her $4 million home featured on TV and revealed she doesn’t have “any real property.” However, on TV the wife of Utah Utes coach Sharrieff Shah boasts about spending $50,000 a month and living
in her mountaintop “Shah Chalet.”
She attended court in style, sporting her smooth new ’do while pleading not guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
She is free on a $1 million personal recognizance bond, but was given two weeks to raise $250,000 cash to secure her bail note. Smith, 43, also pleaded not guilty. The two face up to three decades behind bars if convicted.