Upon the release of Bravo’s The Real Housewives of Salt Like City season 2, fans around the world knew about the legal issues Jen Shah faced. Filming of the second season was well underway in March 2021 when it was reported that Jen was arrested, in conjunction with her assistant Stuart Smith, on account of defrauding hundreds of individuals out of money. In the now infamous scene, the RHOSLC star is seen fleeing the cast trip to Vail, Colorado, while in a sprinter van, but is eventually take into custody, much to the rest of the housewives’ shock.

As trials were conducted and reports were made, Jen Shah made it a point to convince the jury and her fellow cast mates that she was not guilty and that Stuart was the one who brought her into it. This resulted in a massive rift between Whitney Rose, Heather Gay, Meredith Marks, Lisa Barlow, Mary Cosby, and Jennie Nguyen. Sides were taken, some of them were not convinced, and it became the main storyline for the entire second season.

Related: RHOSLC: Why Jen’s Arrest And The Trip To Vail Is So Iconic

While time went on and trials kept getting pushed back, fans of the Real Housewives franchise were at odds whether they believed Jen to be guilty or not guilty of this crime. This all changed when in July 2022 she changed her initial plea of not guilty to guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, but many fans still rallied behind her while others decided to take their support somewhere else. Although the situations are not exactly the same, however, fans of the franchise could not help compare Jen’s legal issues to that of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne and her now ex-husband Tom Girardi.

Jen and Erika: Guilty or Not Guilty

jen shah the real housewives of salt lake city wearing a mask on street with lawyers

With fame comes the constant eye of the public scrutinizing every move, and both Jen and Erika learned that the hard way when their luxurious lives of glamour and money came to a screeching halt as their legal issues came to light. The comparisons started rolling in when Jen reposted a meme on her Instagram Story that suggested Erika should “hold my drink” when it came to the legal issues at hand. Jen began selling “Not Guilty” merchandise on her website, thus further making it a point to prove herself as not guilty, whereas Erika continued to show off her money while the trials were going on. Fans could not help but be on the fence between the two because Jen would declare herself not guilty time and time again and Erika would rarely even acknowledge what was going on. Erika faced a lot of heat from her cast mates on season 11 of RHOBH, particularly with Sutton Stracke as she would constantly question her while the other women came to her defense, yet would tread lightly when it came to discussing legal matters with her.

Outsiders Weigh In

The cast pose for the RHOSLC season 2 photo

Suspicions around Jen grew with the new knowledge of her legal issues as some fans questioned how she had all of this money for expensive homes, cars, and clothes. Meredith Marks claimed that “too many things didn’t add up” and Whitney Rose stated that she was intrigued by “where she gets all of her money and all of her things from” if she was innocent. The only reason for Erika’s legal entanglements is largely due to her husband, as he was the one who allegedly committed the crimes. But she was being roped into it as documents and victims accused Tom of funding her music career with the money he owed his clients. Erika was served lawsuit upon lawsuit but was ultimately found not guilty of any wrongdoing. In terms of Jen’s husband Sharrieff Shah, Meghan McCain of ABC’s The View tweeted, “He has basically had almost no scrutiny and questioning” while Erika is being “dragged through the mud”.

Jen Shah and Erika Jayne have become two of the most talked about housewives in the franchise, but not always for the best reasons. Amid their ongoing legal battles, the two have secured themselves spots in their designated shows and ABC News specials on Hulu with The Housewife & the Shah Shocker and The Housewife & the Hustler. They have showcased their vulnerability and have brought the heaviest storylines yet; even though their stories are different, fans cannot help but compare the two women.

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City airs Wednesdays on Bravo at 9pm EST.

Next:Why Fans Are Giving Up On The Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills

Source: Twitter, Us Weekly