“The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” alum Jen Shah is breaking her silence about her reported crimes in her first interview since her release from prison in 2026. During the interview, the outspoken reality star opened up about where she stands with her castmates and the network’s figurehead, Andy Cohen, who had previously implied he wanted nothing to do with her.
What Jen Shah Had To Say About Andy Cohen’s Earlier Comments About Never Wanting To See Her Again
Cohen answered a fan question years ago about the possibility of seeing Shah return to “RHOSLC” after she finished her prison sentence, saying he “never” wanted to see her again, according to The Blast.
Shah, however, doesn’t seem too bothered by his comment. While speaking with PEOPLE, the mother of two said Cohen was allowed to feel however he wanted about her.
“Andy has a right to his opinion,” she said. “And without me being able to talk to him or without me being able to even speak at the time at all, people rightly so made their own judgments and had their own comments.”
Shah explained that after she changed her plea to guilty in 2022, her legal team instructed her not to speak with the media. “That was hard because I wanted to talk and address the false narratives that were taking on a life of their own,” she said. “But I was being advised it wasn’t the right time.”
Jen Shah Said She’s Not Taking Cohen’s Comments About Her Future On ‘RHOSLC’ Personally
Cohen maintained his position about Shah’s future on the show during a “Radio Andy” episode.
“She’s not coming back to The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” he said. “I wish her all the best in her next life. I would assume that she’ll wind up on a reality show, but it won’t be anything that I’m working on. I don’t know that I can see Bravo working with her again. There you go. Can we put a period at the end of that sentence?”
While likely disappointing to her, Shah said that she’s not taking the father of two’s comments personally.
“I don’t really take a lot of it to heart,” she said. “Andy has been very professional to me and to my team — I know my team has spoken to him while I’ve been gone. So I just base my opinions on what my own interaction has been with him.”
Where Does Jen Shah Stand With Her Former Castmates Today?
Shah was sentenced to nearly seven years in prison in 2023 after pleading guilty to being one of the leaders of a nationwide telemarketing scheme that took thousands from vulnerable and elderly victims, leaving them with nothing.
While in prison, Shah said that she didn’t watch “RHOSLC,” but that her fellow inmates kept her updated on what was happening. “I got the live recap from everybody,” she said. “It was on every TV. I’d be at work or at the library and people would run over because they had seen it, so I was getting the summary.”
Regarding her relationships with her former co-stars, Whitney Rose, Heather Gay, and Angie Katsanevas, Shah said she hopes to pick up where they left off if given the chance.
As for Meredith Marks, Shah praised her for being one of her most “consistent” friends. “While I was gone, she and Seth would reach out to Coach and just check in and send their love. So yeah, we’ve talked. I called her while I was gone and I spoke with her when I got home,” Shah shared.
How Did Shah’s Sons Make Her Cry While She Was In Prison?
According to a previous report by The Blast, Shah said she did a lot of personal work while in prison. One of the ways she attempted to make sense of how her reported crimes affected those close to her was to hear it directly from them.
So, Shah said she asked her sons, Sharieff Jr. and Omar, to write impact letters for her to read aloud during a session.
“I needed to know how I hurt them,” Shah said. “I needed them to be honest with me and tell me everything. I needed to hear that raw feedback, because that’s the only way you grow and heal. You can’t get better if you don’t know what you did.”
Shah Acknowledges Her Wrongs
Shah also took responsibility for her role in the whole ordeal.
“I made wrong decisions. I should have done things differently. I should have been more diligent. And I’m deeply remorseful and sorry for my actions and for my part. I take full responsibility,” she said.