Real Housewives of Salt Lake City fans are stunned after finally finding out which cast member turned Jen Shah in to the FBI.
The reality star, 49, is currently serving her six-and-a-half-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud and money laundering in connection with a telemarketing scheme targeting the elderly.
Authorities had initially cut short a girls’ trip in season two of the show in hopes of arresting Shah, but she did not attend after reportedly being tipped off in advance.
Dozens of viewers wondered how the FBI, who eventually tracked her down, knew about the plan, with many assuming one of her RHOSLC castmates threw her under the bus.
And it turns out that hunch was correct.
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City fans are stunned after finally finding out who reported Jen Shah (pictured) to the FBI
Housewife Monica Garcia, who was previously one of Shah’s assistants, dropped the bombshell in the season four premiere that she was the one who betrayed her.
But the star revealed she spoke to the Secret Service about her then-boss’s suspicious behavior before being called in as Shah’s replacement.
In a confessional, Monica revealed that she became Shah’s assistant after one of the previous employees was fired.
She explained that Shah had sat her down and asked, “Do you want to be rich?” Do you want to make $600,000 a year?’
“All you have to do is put this, this and this in your name.”
Monica immediately became ‘weird’ about the situation and decided to call a friend of hers from the secret service.
Her friend reportedly said, “Get the fuck away from Jen Shaw. She’s going to jail.’
“Two months later she was arrested,” Monica then explained. “And that’s how I became a witness in her federal trial.”
Housewife Monica Garcia (pictured), formerly one of Shah’s assistants, dropped the bombshell in the season four premiere that she was the one who betrayed her
Authorities initially crashed a girls’ trip on season two of the show in hopes of arresting Shah, but she did not attend after reportedly being tipped off in advance
The revelation left fans in shock and rushed to Twitter to express their disbelief.
One wrote: ‘THEY LITERALLY REPLACED JENNIFER SHAH WITH HER INFORMANT AGAINST HER IN HER FEDERAL TRIAL??????!!!!!’
‘New housewife Monica was TESTIMONY in the JEN SHAH trial?! We EAT this season,” another added.
A third commented: “WHEN THE PRODUCERS OF #RHOSLC cast the girl who was the informant for the FBI and then a witness in the Jen Shah trial, who ALSO could have been the potential person who put JEN in jail.
“GIVE ME MORE SECRETS MONICA.”
RHOSLC viewers were also impressed by Monica’s bold entry into the franchise.
“Monica immediately stepped in and confirmed she had been working with the FBI on the Jen Shah trial…iconic,” one user tweeted.
“Monica befriended Jen, raided her friend group, got her tea, sent her to jail and took her place in the group. Girl…that’s mighty cold! I’m alive,” another enthused.
The revelation left fans in shock and rushed to Twitter to express their disbelief
Some fans joked that Shah wouldn’t be happy that her assistant was not only an informant and witness against her, but also stole her spot on the show.
“Jaw on the FLOOR. How are you going to betray and then grab a snowflake while you’re at it? I’m sorry, but my Monica Stan card is laminated and ALWAYS in my bag, honey. Card carrying member! An iconic introduction,” praised a third.
Some fans joked that Shah wouldn’t be happy that her assistant was not only an informant and witness against her, but also stole her spot on the show.
“I know Jen Shah starts a prison riot after seeing that the mole who stole her money also stole her snowflake. #RHOSLC,” one person wrote.
Another marveled: “Jen Shah is 1000% going to have a stroke when she sees Monica’s confessionals. Imagine rotting in federal prison and you watch #rhoslc and the girl who took your snowflake is also the person who helped get you there and is now telling YOUR life the way she wants. Iconic.’
One user thought Bravo was “sloppy” for going so far as to hire the assistant who played a role in Shah’s downfall as her replacement.
“Monica was Jen Shah’s former assistant and federal witness at her trial??? Bravo is so messy,” they wrote.
But as messy as it was, some couldn’t help but admit that the casting decision was also “brilliant.”
Real Housewives of Salt Lake City viewers were also impressed by Monica’s bold entry into the franchise
One user thought Bravo was “sloppy” for going so far as to hire the assistant who played a role in Jen’s death as her replacement
“Bravo giving literal testimony to Jen Shah as the newest RHOSLC housewife is messy…but brilliant?” Bravo from Betches tweeted.
‘WAIT SORRY WHAT?!?! They cast the girl who was the informant for the FBI and then as a witness in the Jen Shah trial, who may have been a central figure in putting her in jail? #rhoslc’s casting director needs a raise IMMEDIATELY! This is SO messy,” wrote another.
Others had no complaints about the casting decision, calling the network “genius” and worthy of winning an Emmy.
“Only @BravoTV would cast the star witness who helped the FBI frame Jen Shah and then give her Jen’s spot in the making of the new #RHOSLC housewife — not ‘friend of housewives’ — and immediately gave Monica a snowflake,” one fan wrote.
They added, “This deserves an Emmy for this scene from the season 4 premiere episode alone. Bravo, you redeemed yourself with this epic casting and saving Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.”
“It’s quite a genius casting move that they brought in Monica to replace Jen,” wrote a second.
Others had no complaints about the casting decision: They called the network “genius” and worthy of winning an Emmy for this call
Perhaps the funniest response came from Monica’s RHOSLC co-star Meredith Marks, who was previously accused of turning Shah into the FBI
They continued, “She worked for her, was a witness against her in the trial, knows the women and their dynamics intimately, and can still talk to the other women about the Jen of it all. Brilliant casting move.’
“Monica’s casting on #RHOSLC is just perfect. Jen Shah’s former assistant and federal witness in Jen Shah’s trial. Genius,” wrote a third.
Perhaps the funniest response came from Monica’s RHOSLC co-star Meredith Marks.
Meredith had previously been accused of turning Shah into the FBI, so she used this moment to clear her name.
“And you guys thought I called the FBI?” lol #RHOSLC,” she tweeted.
Shah, one of the show’s most iconic actresses, was sentenced to more than six years in prison last year after admitting to orchestrating a telemarketing scheme that targeted elderly and vulnerable people.
She tricked her victims into purchasing fake business mentorship programs before hitting them with unforgiving subscription payments they couldn’t get out of.
During her sentencing hearing, prosecutors described how she laughed callously with colleagues as some victims called them in tears and begged for release from the debts.