Heather Gay still has Jen Shah’s back.
Gay, 38, defended “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” co-star Shah, 47, in a new interview after Shah was arrested in March and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
“I think that good people can do bad things, and she is claiming she is innocent,” Gay said on the June 2 episode of the “So Bad It’s Good With Ryan Bailey” podcast. “Even if she gets … wrongfully convicted, she can make things right. She can redeem herself.”
Shah and her assistant Stuart Smith — who was featured on the Bravo series — were arrested for allegedly participating in a telemarketing scam that targeted the elderly for almost a decade. The scam was said to have spanned six different states.
Shah has maintained her innocence on social media and formally pleaded not guilty to the charges in April. She was released on $1 million bond as she awaits her trial in October.
While Shah faces up to 30 years in prison, Gay was adamant about giving her castmate a second chance, saying on the podcast, “I guess I am passionate about second chances because … when I got divorced, I didn’t have a second chance. And that sucks, you know.”
Page Six previously reported that Bravo cameras were rolling during Shah’s arrest and will continue to capture as much of the drama as possible.
“Bravo knows full well that viewers are following every detail of this case and will continue to do so as it progresses, so producers plan to follow it just as closely and use whatever footage they legally can,” an insider told us in April. “So far, they have filmed the lead-up to and aftermath of Jen’s arrest as well as her co-stars’ reactions, of course.”
While the charges against Shah are serious, Bravo honchos believe having the legal case at the forefront of the show’s upcoming second season will make viewers tune in.
“With the news of Jen’s arrest, they are sure to have even more success than they imagined, especially since Jen hopes to continue shooting if Bravo and her lawyers allow it,” the insider added. “She can only say so much, however, as it remains an ongoing case.”
