Who is Jen Shah’s husband, Sharrieff?
REAL Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah was sentenced to six and a half years in prison on Friday, January 6, 2023.
Jen was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a telemarketing scheme, while Sharrief Shah is liable for $9million in restitution fees.
Who Is Jen Shah's Husband, Sharrieff?
A former football player, Sharrieff Shah has been the cornerback and co-special teams coordinator for the Utah Utes team at the University of Utah for the last ten years.
He played for the team while attending the University from 1990 to 1993 and previously worked at the KUTV and KJZZ television stations in Salt Lake City.
He was also a sideline reporter for ESPN's affiliate radio station from 2000 to 2011 and was an agent for the NFL Player Association from 1996 to 2002.
In 2001, Sharrieff received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah and spent 12 years working as an attorney — first as a commercial litigator and then as a trial attorney.
Following the charges against his wife, Jen, which accused her of wire fraud, Sharrieff is liable for $9million in restitution fees.
When did the couple meet?
Jen Shah and Sharrieff met while they were studying in college.
In the RHOSLC season premiere in 2021, Jen talked about meeting her husband.
She said Sharrieff, who is Muslim, changed how she views religion, and she made the decision to convert to Islam.
Sharrieff also told viewers how they met: “When I met my wife in college, it was fantastic. I never in my life, in my life, seen anybody as pretty in my life.
“And I said, ‘Well, would you like to go out?’ And she said, ‘Yes, but I’ll bring my cousins with me.’ You girls roll deep.”
Jen and Sharrieff Shaw got married in 1994 and now have two children together.
Their oldest, Sharrieff Jr, was born in 1994 and has followed in his father’s footsteps as a college football player.
Their younger son is named Omar — his birth date is unknown.
What are the charges against Jen Shah?
Sharrieff has been pulled into the charges against Jen.
While Jen faces six and a half years in prison after originally facing up to 30, her husband faces paying $9million.
Prior to the verdict, L.A. Deputy District Attorney Emily D Baker told that Sharrieff may have to pay $9million in restitution.
Jen and her assistant Stuart Smith were accused of targeting individuals over 55 years old and defrauding them.
They both initially pleaded not guilty, but Smith changed his plea in November 2021 and Jen changed hers, pleading guilty in July 2022.
Jen's attorney, Priya Chaudhry, told PEOPLE: "Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family."
She was initially expected to be sentenced on November 28, 2022, and had agreed not to appeal if she is sentenced to 14 months or less.
Baker had said Sharrieff could be off the hook to pay the restitution fee because the government could pursue "marital property."
Even if Jen and Sharrieff divorced, he would still be required to pay the fees "because this is now accumulated during the marriage," Baker said.
Chaudhry told the outlet: "Ms Shah is a good woman who crossed a line. She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed."
However, in season three of RHOSLC, Jen blamed Smith for committing fraud, saying she is "innocent."
"I got played by Stuart Smith," Jen claimed. "I would not be in this thing at all if it wasn't for Stuart."
Jen will report to prison on February 17, 2023. Her attorney, Priya Chaudhry, told on Friday: “Jen Shah’s resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
“She is committed to serving her sentence with courage and purpose, fueled by her desire to make amends for the hurt she has caused and to help others in her new community.”
Chaudhry continued: “No obstacle will deter Jen from making the most of her time in prison and she’s determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted.”