Federal investigators now believe that “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jennifer Shah was the mastermind behind the telemarketing scam that she has been charged with.
In newly released court records, the 47-year-old and her assistant Stuart Smith are both classified as “Tier A” defendants, meaning that they were “responsible for orchestrating the broader scheme.” Allegedly, the two of them obtained leads directly and trained sales floor operators in Utah and Nevada.
Tier A is designated for the offenders that are “senior participants” who engaged in the scam even after they became aware of a criminal investigation. One Tier A defendant has already been sentenced to 78 months in prison. Several lower tiers have received anywhere from one year to over seven years in prison.
Shah’s attorney, Priya Chaudhry, slammed the new claims. In a statement to PEOPLE, Chaudhry says the “made-up allegation” was “unsupported by evidence.”
Jennifer Shah pleaded not guilty after being arrested in late March for targeting and scamming elderly people out of their money in the extensive $5 million telemarketing scheme. She is currently facing up to 30 years in federal prison. She remains free on a $1 million bond.
