| Jen
Shah of RHOSLC & Smith Arraigned On
Telemarketing Charges Now $1 Million Bond
By Matthew
Russell Lee, Patreon
BBC
The
Times (UK)
Honduras
- The
Source
SDNY COURTHOUSE,
April 2 – Five
defendants in a telemarketing
scheme were presented past 8
pm on November 20, 2019 in the
Magistrates Court of the U.S.
District Court for the
Southern District of New York.
The government
proposed that while they could
be released on their own
signatures that night, but
asked that they get
pre-approval from Pre-Trial
Services for any expenditure
above $10,000.
Now on
April 2, 2021 Jen Shah of Real
Housewifes Of Salt Lake City
was arraigned in the same case
- and a $1 million bond, with
$250,000 of it secured by case
or property, required. Inner
Cit Press live tweeted it,
here:
SDNY Judge Sidney
Stein tried to do this
arraignment on March 31, but
the technology broke down. Now
there's an echo but it's going
forward. Judge Stein: Ms.
Shah, have you read the
indictment? Shah: Yes, I have.
And I waive the public
reading.
Judge Stein: How
do you plead to charges of
conspiracy to commit wire
fraud, and money laundering?
Shah: Not guilty. Judge Stein:
Let me turn to Mr. Smith.
Judge
Stein: Mr. Smith, how do you
plead? Smith: Not guilty.
Judge Stein: Let's talk about
bail conditions. Ms. Shah you
were released by a Magistrate
in Utah.
Assistant US
Attorney: We have a proposal
on conditions. There are some
on which there is a dispute.
AUSA: In Utah,
Ms. Shah posted no cash. We
propose a $1 million bond,
secured by $250,000 in cash or
property. On no contact with
witnesses and victims, we want
to specify that means those
who purchased services, or
sold them on sales floors. She
can travel to DC
Judge Stein: You
proposed no disbursements over
$10,000 without permission.
I'm going to lower it to
$5000. Defense: She is
on Real Housewives of Salt
Lake City but she doesn't take
any credit cards for that.
Judge: Does the
government have possession of
Ms. Shah's passport? AUSA: It
was expired, and we took it.
If she has another, she should
surrender it. Judge: What is
the risk of flight? Ms. Shah,
I've come to learn, is a
participant in a popular
television show.
Judge: She
is active on social media. It
is unlikely she could
disappear.
AUSA: We will
make a proffer.
[Meanwhile, it dawns on Inner
City Press these two are part
of the largest US v. Cheedie
case Inner City Press has
covered, here
AUSA: The
penalties for $5 million money
laundering, it is not clear
she would remain a public
persona. In any event the
persona is insufficient to
ensure her return to court.
So, a modest security. Judge:
Is $250,000 modest? AUSA: She
has access to it.
Judge
Stein: Let me here from the
defense. Defense: We do not
believe she has any active
passport. She had hired us to
defend her - she wants to
fight this. Cash bond in not
favored anyway around the
country.
Judge
Stein: Does she receive a
salary from any of her
businesses, including the Real
Housewives franchise? Defense:
I don't know, I haven't spoken
with my client about that.
2d Defense
lawyer: She is an
entrepreneur. She makes some
money from the show, yes.
Judge
Stein: There is a risk of
flight. It's not
insubstantial. I'm to have her
continued released, on
condition of a bond of $1
million, with $250,000 secured
by cash or property and 2
co-signers.
Judge Stein: She
is to continue with her
treatment. She can accept
credit card charges for other
businesses. No telemarketing.
Defense: Could we
have 2 weeks for $250,000,
since we're in Utah?
AUSA: Bonds can
be handled remotely. 1 week.
Judge Stein: I'll
do 2 weeks.
The case is US
v. Cheedie, et al,
19-cr-833 (Stein).
***
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