The “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” Season 3 reunion concluded Wednesday night with Heather Gay’s theory on why Jain Shah’s husband Sharif Shah Sr. backed her last-minute change of plea.
“For financial stress and it was just an uphill battle,” the “Bad Mormon” author, 40, told host Andy Cohen.
“And I have to assume it wasn’t something he thought was worth rolling the dice on. [for]”He continued. “Just some kind of smoking gun.”
On January 6, Jain, 49, was sentenced to six-and-a-half years in prison for running a nationwide telemarketing scheme, primarily targeting the vulnerable elderly.
The convicted fraudster, who pleaded guilty in July 2022 months after proclaiming his innocence, is scheduled to begin his sentence on February 17 at a federal prison in Texas.
During the reunion, Lisa Barlow claims she knows of the “smoking gun” that incriminated Jane.
“It was a text or something that he sent to Stu that basically incriminated him,” the 48-year-old Vida Tequila CEO said, referring to Stuart Smith, Jane’s former assistant and alleged accomplice.
Gay then chimed in, “I don’t know the details, but I’ll assume it was some kind of smoking gun that revealed the knowledge.”
In November 2021, Smith — who appeared in many “RHOSLC” scenes with Jane — pleaded guilty to three charges for his role in the fraud case. Like his former boss, he had previously pleaded not guilty.
The second and final part of the latest “Salt Lake City” reunion included allegations that Jain and Sharif solicited funds from friends to pay their mounting legal bills.
“I didn’t pay them, but I know the people on that couch did,” Gay claimed, adding that cast “friend” Angie Harrington “gave [the Shahs] money.”
Although she did not support Jane financially, Gay noted that she would support Jane while the latter was behind bars.
“She said she committed fraud and she’s going to jail and she’s getting $15 million in restitution and I think it’s just a shame for the world for me to be mean to her or mad at her. Benevolent and does no good to anyone,” he said.
“And I’m so far down the road with him, I’m not going to leave him now.”
Shah did not attend the “RHOSLC” Season 3 reunion.
Advertisement
Gay reiterated this during an appearance on Page Six’s “Virtual Real-T” podcast in September 2022.
“I would never miss an opportunity to serve anyone, but certainly Jane and her family,” she said.
Read full article here