Teresa Giudice Talks Jen Shah’s Fraud Case — Says She ‘Can’t Relate’ to Fallen ‘RHOSLC’ Star

Teresa Giudice is speaking out about Jen Shah’s prison sentence after the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star was sentenced to 78 months in prison last week. 

In March 2021, Jen Shah was arrested for running a nationwide telemarketing scheme that targeted hundreds of people, specifically the elderly. Jen initially professed her innocence but later admitted wrongdoing after her codefendants pled guilty. The 49-year-old reality star struck a plea deal with prosecutors in July, pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

In October, Bravo executive, Andy Cohen, broke the news that the network had cut ties with Jen during a BravoCon RHOSLC panel discussion. 

“Once we wrapped [Season 3 and] she pled guilty, I think that was kind of, unfortunately, the end of, you know, the engagement there,” Cohen told the crowd. “But I hope to sit down with her and talk to her at some point on camera because I have a lot of questions for her.”

Fans naturally drew parallels between Jen and the Real Housewives of New Jersey OG, who checked into a federal prison in  Danbury, Connecticut to serve a 15-month sentence, in January 2015. 

Teresa shared that she “can’t relate” to the Utah “Housewife,” on the latest episode of her podcast, Namaste B$tches.

“I wouldn’t steal anybody’s money,” Teresa told co-host, Melissa Pfeister. “I would not do that. I would never do that. That’s so bad.”

“I’m a mother first. That was my first priority always since I started the show,” she added. “I always put my kids first.”

The Bravo star went on—“But when you’re stealing from people and the kids could read this, and be like, ‘Mom, well why’d you do this’, what do you say to your kids to that?”

Teresa advised Jen to “keep it together” while serving her time behind bars.

On July 29, 2013, Teresa and then-husband, Joe Giudice, were hit with multiple fraud charges in a 39-count indictment. Joe Giudice was eventually sentenced to 3.5 years in prison and Teresa was sentenced to 15 months. 

Teresa shares four daughters, Gia, 22, Gabriella, 18, Milania, 16, and Audriana, 13, with her ex. 

Jen will begin her sentence on February 17, per a report by Inner City Press. The reality star is expected to serve her sentence in a facility in the “Texas region.” U.S. District Judge Sidney Stein ordered an additional five years of supervised release “to make sure you don’t end up committing another crime,” according to a Twitter post by Inner City Press reporter, Matthew Lee. 

Jen’s attorney, Priya Chaudhry issued a statement to PEOPLE after last week’s sentencing.

The statement read—“Jen Shah deeply regrets the mistakes that she has made and is profoundly sorry to the people she has hurt. Jen has faith in our justice system, understands that anyone who breaks the law will be punished, and accepts this sentence as just. Jen will pay her debt to society and when she is a free woman again, she vows to pay her debt to the victims harmed by her mistakes.” 

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