Jen Shah may no longer be on “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” but her story continues to fascinate the public. The former reality TV star — who is currently serving a 6.5 year prison sentence for conspiracy to commit wire fraud — is the subject of the “Queen of the Con” podcast’s fourth season, which debuts July 20.
According to a press release, the series, titled “The Unreal Housewife,” will feature exclusive interviews with childhood friends, former neighbors, ex-employees, as well as several of Shah’s victims and the federal agent responsible for putting her behind bars. The eight-part series will uncover shocking new details about the housewife-turned-convict’s backstory, rise to fame and the spiral of decisions and events that ultimately led to her arrest and conviction.
TV producer and “con hunter” Johnathan Walton investigates and hosts the podcast, and executive produces alongside AYR Media founder Aliza Rosen. Attorney and popular YouTuber and podcaster Emily D. Baker, who has covered the Jen Shah case extensively via her channels, is featured heavily throughout the series and also serves as consulting producer. The series is distributed by iHeartPodcasts.
“What viewers saw on TV barely scratched the surface,” Walton told TheWrap exclusively. “This season of the podcast features new accounts of Jen Shah’s scams, starting at the very beginning – from interviews with her former classmates to first-hand accounts from several of her victims. She used multiple cell phones to run her schemes, and we got our hands on a bunch of text messages that completely contradict everything Jen Shah has said publicly.”
“I’m a reality TV fan and a ‘Housewives’ fan, so of course, I was both riveted and horrified by Jen’s story,” added Rosen. “As news continued to break on the scope and particularly despicable nature of her crimes, I knew she had to be our focus for this season of ‘Queen of the Con.’ There were still so many questions and so much left to be uncovered. I think listeners of the podcast will come away with a much deeper understanding of who Jen Shah is, what set her on this path and the devastating effects of her actions on so many people.”
“I’m excited to join Queen of The Con season 4 as a consulting producer,” said Baker. “This role allows me to break down the legal side of how this fraud operated, why it was successful for so long, and what took it down. Reality TV audiences have never seen a federal prosecution unfold in real-time, from arrest to plea and sentencing. This season digs into what cameras didn’t catch and the strength of the evidence against Jen Shah when she plead guilty.”
Shah’s castmates — and viewers — were shocked when law enforcement descended on production to take Shah into custody just as the housewives were preparing to take a cast trip. Citing a medical emergency, Shah left the scene just minutes before agents arrived. She was taken into custody later that day off-camera. The scene was included as part of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.” Season 3, which featured the aftermath of the arrest. Shah, one of the original castmates on the show, did not show up for the season finale due to her ongoing legal woes. She began serving her prison sentence in February 2023.
Check out the audio trailer for “Queen of the Con: The Unreal Housewife” above, and listen to the podcast on the iHeartRadio app, Apple podcasts, and more.
Seasons 1-3 of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” are currently airing on Peacock.