RHOSLC’s Jen Shah Accused Prison Warden of ‘Unconstitutionally’ Keeping Her Locked Up in Lawsuit (Exclusive)

The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah filed a lawsuit against a Texas warden prior to her release from prison, Us Weekly can exclusively report.

On August 18, Shah sued the warden at FPC Bryan in Texas, a minimum-security federal prison. She claimed that prison officials were improperly calculating her release date. Shah demanded she be let out on August 6.

“She has had a spotless disciplinary record,” Shah’s filing alleged as she demanded to be released to community confinement. (Shah said officials went to her home in Salt Lake City on March 19 to review the property before she was released.)

In her petition, Shah claimed she was suffering severe prejudice and loss of liberty “while being unconstitutionally confined beyond her scheduled release date.”

Shah revealed she had completed the Residential Drug Abuse Program while behind bars, which earned her a 12-month reduction to her sentence. The program includes nine months of “highly regimented programming, including daily treatment groups, individual counseling, written assignments, behavioral contracts and strict compliance with program rules.” Shah said she graduated on August 5.

In her petition, Shah said they tried to rescind the credit, but she demanded that it be applied to her sentence.

In response, the warden demanded that Shah’s petition be dismissed. The official said Shah was set to be released in August 2026 and argued her lawsuit had no legal standing.

On October 3, Shah responded to the warden in court. She said she remained in custody due to the prison’s “inconsistent administration of its own policies.”

The judge had yet to decide before Shah was released from the Texas prison on Wednesday, December 10.

Shah’s attorney, Candace Robinson, tells Us, “Jen successfully completed the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) in August 2025 and, consistent with longstanding BOP policy and practice, should have been released shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, the Bureau of Prisons has a well-documented history of failing to release inmates in a timely manner even after they complete qualifying programming that entitles them to earlier release consideration.”

“Jen’s filing was not about avoiding responsibility — it was about ensuring that the BOP followed its own rules and honored the benefits tied to program completion. This is not an isolated issue and continues to affect incarcerated individuals across the country who have done exactly what the system asked of them,” Robinson added. “At this stage, Jen is now moving forward into the next phase of her sentence, which is pre-release custody, and remains focused on a successful and compliant transition.”

A rep for the prison tells Us they “do not comment on pending litigation, matters that are the subject of legal proceedings, or ongoing investigations.”

“We can confirm that Jennifer Shah transferred on December 10, 2025, from the Federal Prison Camp (FPC) Bryan to community confinement overseen by the Bureau of Prisons’ (BOP) Phoenix Residential Reentry Management (RRM) Office,” the rep added. “Community confinement means the inmate is in either home confinement or a Residential Reentry Center (RRC, or halfway house).”

The rep told Us that Shah’s projected release date from community confinement is August 30, 2026.

The Bravo star was arrested in March 2021 over allegations that she scammed people in a telemarketing fraud scheme. She was sentenced to 78 months in prison and ordered to forfeit $6.5 million. Shah checked into prison in February 2023. She was released four years earlier than initially expected.

As part of her sentence, Shah was ordered to participate in an outpatient mental health and treatment program approved by her probation officer.

“You shall make installment payments toward your restitution in the amount of 15% of your gross income,” the order stated. In addition, Shah will have to comply with any search of her home by officials.

Shah is also barred from incurring new credit card charges or opening any new lines of credit without getting approval from her probation officer.

As Us previously reported, Shah expressed remorse during her sentencing on January 6, 2023.

“I am sorry. My actions have hurt innocent people,” Shah said. “I want to apologize by saying, I am doing all I can to earn the funds to pay restitution.”

Following the news of her December release, Shah’s manager, Chris Giovanni, released a statement.

“Everyone’s very grateful for the BOP’s decision, especially because it means Jen will be able to reunite with her family for the holidays,” Giovanni said. “It’s a gift she doesn’t take for granted.”

Shah should not expect to be appearing on RHOSLC, as Andy Cohen made it clear he has no interest in her returning to the reality show post-prison.