Jennifer Shah, a former star on “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” has been moved from a federal prison into a community confinement program after serving less than half of her sentence for defrauding thousands of people.
A Bureau of Prisons spokesperson confirmed that Shah was transferred Wednesday morning from the Federal Prison Camp in Bryan, Texas to the program overseen by the Phoenix Residential Residential Reentry Management Office. The transfer means that Shah is either being held in home confinement or in a halfway house. Her projected release date is Aug. 30, 2026.
“For privacy, safety, and security reasons, we do not discuss the conditions of confinement for any individual, including reasons for transfers or release plans, nor do we specify an individual's specific location while in community confinement,” BOP spokesperson Emery Nelson wrote in an email to The Associated Press.
Shah, 52, was sentenced in 2023 to 6 1/2 years in prison for defrauding people in a telemarketing scam that stretched nearly a decade. At the time, Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Sobelman said she was the most culpable of more than 30 defendants accused of participating in the nationwide fraud targeting people who were often vulnerable, older or unsophisticated electronically. The fraud involved bogus services that were promoted as enabling people to make substantial amounts of money through online businesses.
Shah pleaded guilty to a conspiracy charge in July 2022, and during her sentencing she apologized to the “innocent people” she said she’d hurt and pledged to pay $6.5 million in restitution and forfeiture once she is released from prison.
Prosecutors said she used profits from the fraud to live a life of luxury that included living in a nearly 10,000-square-foot mansion in Utah dubbed “Shah Ski Chalet,” an apartment in midtown Manhattan and leasing a Porsche Panamera. The government said she also seemed to mock the charges against her by claiming that the “only thing I’m guilty of is being Shah-mazing” and then she profited from it by marketing “Justice for Jen” merchandise after her arrest.
At the sentencing, Shah apologized and said the proceeds from the merchandise would go toward victims.
“I alone am responsible for my terrible decisions. It was all my fault and all my wrongdoing,” Shah said, later continuing, "I wish I could have stood outside myself and seen the harm I was causing and changed course. I am profoundly and deeply sorry.”
FILE - Jennifer Shah leaves federal court in New York on Jan. 6, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
HARRISONBURG, Va. (AP) — Billy Napier will be watching 12th-seeded James Madison's College Football Playoff game against fifth-seeded Oregon with an eye toward the future.
The former Florida coach was introduced Wednesday as the successor to Bob Chesney, who will leave James Madison for UCLA following the Dukes' playoff run.
“This place continues to make history and it’s our job to continue that,” Napier said. “It’s in the DNA here.”
Napier agreed to a five-year contract that will pay him a guaranteed $1,005,000 annually, a deal that ranks him in the top five among coaches in the Sun Belt Conference.
The contract includes a $2.5 million buyout if he leaves before the 2029 season. It goes down to $1.75 million if he leaves before the 2030 season, and $1.25 million if he leaves before the 2032 season.
Athletic director Matt Roan said in addition to a salary in the top end of the conference, Napier will have high-level pay for his staff and a revenue-sharing percentage that is the highest in the Sun Belt and competitive nationally.
“We certainly have enough resources to be competitive,” Napier said. “I wouldn’t be sitting here if that wasn’t the case.”
Napier went 40-12 in four seasons at Louisiana, then 22-23 in his four years with the Gators. His run at Louisiana saw him dominate the Sun Belt, making four appearances in the title game as West Division champs and league titles in his final two seasons there.
Napier never got things rolling at Florida, having just one winning season at 8-5 in 2024. He was 3-4 when he was fired by the Gators this season.
Chesney has led the Dukes to a 12-1 record, the Sun Belt championship and a spot in the CFP. UCLA had been pursuing him since it fired DeShaun Foster in Week 3.
“Where we’re at currently, we need to maximize the momentum that we have,” Napier said. “We need to take full advantage of these opportunities that come with the College Football Playoff.”
Calling the next 90 days “critical,” Napier said he’ll be focused on meeting and retaining the current players and hiring his staff.
In Napier, JMU may have found a coach who can bring stability to a program that just hired its fifth coach in the last 10 years.
“This could be the price for success,” Roan said.
But he believes Napier’s experience at Louisiana and the age of his children could also lead to a desire to stick in one place.
“This is about building a sustainable program that can have continued success,” Napier said. “To where I can drive home everyday and feel good about the type of team we could have next year.”
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FILE - Florida head coach Billy Napier watches his team line up against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft, File)
