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Jen Shah Reports to a Federal Prison Camp Where She Could Serve Her 6?-Year Sentence

Jen Shah Reports to a Federal Prison Camp Where She Could Serve Her 6?-Year Sentence

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Inside the federal prison camp where Jen Shah could serve her 6year sentence

Last month, Jen Shah was sentenced to six and a half years in federal prison for her role in a deceptive telemarketing scheme that defrauded thousands of people. She will serve her time at FPC Bryan, a federal prison camp located in Texas.

Shah may feel protected by her fame, but serving time in prison is no easy feat for anyone. It's a life filled with strict requirements and an unforgiving hierarchy.

FPC Bryan is a minimum-security prison

Jen Shah recently confirmed to Page Six that she has surrendered to the Federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving her 6-year sentence for running a telemarketing scam that defrauded elderly people. Currently, she is being processed at a federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas.

FPC Bryan is a minimum-security prison located 95 miles northwest of Houston and 165 miles south of Dallas, operated exclusively for female inmates since 1989.

The facility is renowned for its partnership with Canine Companions for Independence, but it also provides educational programs like GED, ESL and Adult Continuing Education classes. Incentive awards are presented to inmates who successfully complete these programs.

At FPC Bryan, inmates have access to a wide range of health and psychology services. Inmates may receive assistance with substance abuse issues, HIV/AIDS issues, PTSD issues, as well as counseling to manage anxiety or depression.

The prison provides a range of basic and advanced occupational training programs, such as horticulture, cosmetology, HVAC work, medical transcription/coding and accounting technology. Furthermore, Blinn Community College offers college courses along with apprenticeships in dental assisting and small business management.

For inmates, there are also leisure libraries and a law library. Prisoners have access to an interlibrary loan program and bookmobile service, respectively.

Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 to 5:00 are authorized visitors. These may include family members, friends, and associates.

If you wish to contact an inmate at FPC Bryan, it is best to first confirm her availability for contact. Generally, calls can be placed between 7:30 am and 7:00 pm.

It is essential to be aware that it may be difficult to contact an inmate at FPC Bryan if you are not an authorized visitor. Unless the prison has placed you on her visiting list, visitors won't be granted entry. Furthermore, do not bring any items which could be considered weapons or contraband and make sure your shoes are securely fastened.

It’s a “cushy” prison

According to Entertainment Weekly, Jen Shah from Real Housewives of Salt Lake City will serve her sentence at FPC Bryan federal prison camp in Texas for running a fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of elderly people out of their savings. She was found guilty by a judge and will spend six and half years behind bars for her role in this fraudulent enterprise.

Although not the luxurious "Shah Ski Chalet," where she lived during the first two seasons of the show, this minimum-security prison is considered by experts as the ideal location for inmates charged with serious crimes to spend time. According to NBC News legal analyst Danny Cevallos and defense attorney Alan Ellis, this camp does not have all the trappings of high security institutions but instead provides a less stressful atmosphere for inmates to recover in.

Prosecutors allege that Shah masterminded a nationwide telemarketing scam involving multiple sales floors in Utah, Arizona and Nevada. This scheme generated leads then siphoned off victims' savings through false business opportunities and services. Unfortunately, many of the victims were elderly individuals without computers or credit cards who relied solely on their savings for survival; some even lived off these funds.

Shah entered into a plea deal that required her to forfeit $6.5 million and pay out $9.5 million in restitution. Additionally, she admitted participating in an extensive telemarketing scheme that prosecutors say targeted tens of thousands of victims, many elderly individuals living off their savings.

The scheme involved a web of business entities incorporated under third-party names that used encrypted messaging apps for communication. Some of those firms were located in Kosovo and concealed their operations to avoid law enforcement or regulatory oversight.

She then used those contacts to launch a series of telemarketing scams offering website design help and tax preparation services, court documents state. Unfortunately, these schemes ultimately robbed victims of their savings and left them with mountains of debt, according to court records.

On July 11th, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and was sentenced on Friday to six and a half years in prison. Her attorneys reportedly requested a lower sentence but the judge denied them; thus, she will begin serving her sentence February 17.

It’s not the “Shah Ski Chalet”

Following Shah's conviction and sentencing, fans of "The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City" -- among many others - began to speculate where she would be sent. Her attorney Priya Chaudhry had previously informed The Sun that the former reality star would serve her sentence at FPC Bryan in Texas.

As she prepared to enter prison, Shah had several objectives in mind for her time there: She wants to make amends for those affected by her telemarketing scams and reinvent herself while serving out her six-year sentence.

She also desires to address an unspecified substance abuse issue and return to school, according to her lawyer. If she is released from prison, she must deal with a probation officer and adhere to financial restrictions.

In March 2021, RHOSLC star Teresa Giudice was arrested while shooting the show's inaugural season and charged with various fraud-related offenses. These included creating and selling lead lists of potential victims for her telemarketing scheme. Her assistant Stuart Smith is accused of using their alleged business skills to defraud victims across America.

Her lawyers had several suggestions for where Shah could serve out her sentence. One suggestion suggested sending Shah to a federal prison camp, which are more relaxed than low-security prisons with double-fenced information perimeters and higher staff-to-inmate ratios, according to Ellis.

Another possibility was sending her to a minimum-security prison camp, located next to higher security facilities across America. According to the Bureau of Prisons, inmates' assigned facilities depend on their individual needs and desired level of security.

Shah's prosecutors had recommended a federal prison camp in the South Central region of America, which includes Texas and Louisiana. The judge agreed with this recommendation and sent her to FPC Bryan in Bryan, Texas - 100 miles northeast of Austin.

It’s not a “prison camp”

On Friday, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah reported to a federal prison camp where she could serve her six-year sentence for running an extensive telemarketing fraud scheme that targeted elderly individuals. Court documents indicate she sold lists of victims and then retargeted them with false promises of business opportunities that never materialized, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors allege that Shah's scheme involved multiple states and involved fraudulent business opportunities, services and a web of scams designed to defraud vulnerable people out of thousands of dollars. To conceal his activities, the US Attorney's Office revealed that Shah used multiple aliases, moved parts of his operations to Kosovo and registered different business entities under different names.

"In some ways, it's a more cynical and hollow version of housewife shilling," Cevallos told EW. She added, "It's hard to believe someone like Jen could actually be innocent."

Shah's attorneys countered that she had already undergone two years of treatment for alcohol and depression, so she could potentially receive up to 54 days per year in reduction of her sentence if she behaved well. Furthermore, the judge mentioned the additional opportunity she'd have with family visits which he said will further aid rehabilitation efforts.

Shah's defense team maintained that her six-and-a-half year sentence was too severe, not giving her enough time to learn how to run a legitimate business.

Her plea deal stipulated a five-year supervised release period, after which she could be eligible for parole if she successfully completes her sentence.

Shah has yet to determine where she will serve her sentence; however, according to court records the judge recommended FPC Bryan, a women's minimum-security federal prison camp in Texas. She could join high-profile inmates such as Todd Chrisley - husband of reality TV star Julie Chrisley and co-founder of blood testing company Theranos who began serving his sentence last month at this facility.

Inmates typically reside in camps for several months before moving on supervised release or another location. On rare occasions, some may be transferred to lower security facilities; however, these are rare instances. According to a Bureau of Prisons spokesperson, there are 65 satellite and seven standalone camps across the nation.

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