In light of the charges against The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah, Lisa Barlow has recently revealed her take on her co-star’s arrest. Shah and her assistant Stuart Smith were arrested and formally charged for their involvement in a telemarketing scheme during the production of season two of RHOSLC. Potentially facing up to 50 years in prison, the allegations have caused an explosion of conflict for Shah and the entire RHOSLC cast.
RHOSLC fans met Jen Shah during the first season as a successful businesswoman within the marketing field. Often questioned for her questionable indulgences and an excessive amount of assistants, Shah was a pleasurably polarizing character within the Bravo series, getting into altercations with numerous cast members. In a press release by Manhatten authorities, Shah and Smith’s alleged actions were described as “fraudulent schemes, motivated by greed, to steal victim’ money.” The claims come at an obvious juxtaposition to how Shah describes her work to the public and fellow RHOSLC cast members, which she has explained as lead generation and direct marketing. In April 2021, Shah pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Related: RHOSLC: The Midseason RHOSLC Trailer Teases A Jen Shah & Lisa Barlow Showdown
In an interview with Showbiz Cheatsheet, Barlow revealed that she was “emotionally overwhelmed” by Shah’s arrest, regardless of what the verdict will be. Before the arrest, Shah and Barlow were on a girls’ trip, unaware of Shah’s pending charges. Shah dismissed herself from the trip, claiming it was due to a medical emergency involving her husband. “I hadn’t really spoken to Jen prior to the Vail trip because she was being extremely combative,” Barlow explained. “Going from initially thinking her husband was in the ICU to branches of our government showing up was a lot,” Barlow confided. “I was processing everything and we didn’t have the luxury of doing so privately. Others seemed to know more and were less shocked.”
While the news of Shah’s arrest was surprising to the entire RHOSLC cast and crew, Barlow is waiting to see what the verdict becomes before making any final judgments. She explained that Shah’s charges are serious, and “If she is found guilty — I side 100% with the victims. Right now, these are all allegations. We need to let a judge and jury decide based on evidence and facts.” Before the infamous girls’ trip when everything was revealed, Barlow had hoped to “fix things” with Shah, which has only been more complicated since the charges were finalized.
The world of reality television is often a dramatic one, but once the authorities step in, matters can get pretty complicated. Barlow and the other RHOSLC housewives are likely to reveal more of their thoughts throughout the second season which intends to explore Shah’s legal battles in more detail. While many of the housewives have formed their own opinions surrounding the case, the final verdict is what will ultimately matter most. A targeted telemarketing scheme is no laughing matter, with intense consequences for Shah on the horizon if she is found guilty. While fans of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City might have their own opinions about Shah’s innocence, they’re bound to learn more throughout the second season.
Source: Showbiz Cheatsheet