She has legal baggage.
“Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah appeared in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday for a final preliminary hearing ahead of her upcoming criminal fraud trial — wearing what appeared to be a red Gucci handbag costing more than $2,000.
During the hearing, prosecutors revealed that her longtime assistant, who pleaded guilty to the telemarketing scheme in November 2021, would testify against the flashy reality TV star.
Judge Sidney Stein also set a trial date for July 18 and said the case would last about five weeks in Manhattan federal court.
In addition to the $2,500 red designer handbag, Shah, 48, wore a checkered black suit and a second, smaller Louis Vuitton bag worth more than $3,600.
Her husband, Sharrieff Shah, accompanied the controversial reality star to the courtroom, where she will be judged by a 16-member jury after the case.
Shah is indicted as the leader of an alleged telemarketing fraud scam that preyed on older working-class Americans, encouraged them to invest in fake online projects and sell fake business services as of 2012, according to charges against her.
“At no point did the defendants intend that the victims would earn any of the promised return on their intended investment, nor did the victims really deserve such a return,” the indictment, which opened in March 2021. .
Prosecutors from New York’s Southern District have argued that Shah and her co-defendants were motivated by greed to steal money from hundreds of victims while flaunting an extravagant lifestyle.
Shah has pleaded not guilty to the charges.