Jen Shah has opened up about serving time at a Texas prison with convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, revealing that Maxwell showed “no remorse” for her late boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein’s victims.
“I had limited interactions with her,” the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City alum, 52, told People in an interview published on Wednesday, April 1. “I chose that. I chose to keep my distance.”
After pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in connection with a telemarketing scheme, Shah served time at the same Bryan, Texas, federal prison camp where Maxwell, 64, and convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes were also incarcerated.
Shax described Maxwell’s “experience” in prison as “very different” than anything she or Holmes, 42, endured.
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“[Maxwell] is treated very differently there,” Shah said. “I didn’t have a lot of interaction with her … She would come over and talk to us or I would see her … She made it very publicly known, at least to Elizabeth and I, that there’s no remorse there.”
The Bravo star went on, “Again, I obviously don’t know all the details of the case or whatever but we know enough. It was a lot when the [Epstein] victims would be on TV and talking, she [showed] just complete disregard for them. This was when they were pouring their hearts out in front of Congress for the [Epstein Files] to be released.”
“To see that kind of behavior when there are real victims that you’re seeing and what they’ve gone through, and to be so dismissive of that, that just didn’t sit right with me,” Shah added.
Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years behind bars following her 2022 conviction on charges of conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts, conspiracy to transport minors to participate in illegal sex acts, transporting a minor to participate in illegal sex acts, sex trafficking conspiracy, and sex trafficking of a minor. (Maxwell maintains her innocence and has publicly appealed to President Donald Trump for a pardon.)
Shah insisted that both she and Holmes “definitely” chose to keep their distance from Maxwell once they noticed her alleged ambivalence toward Epstein’s victims. (Epstein died by suicide at age 66 in August 2019 after being arrested on federal sex crimes charges.)
“I just feel like there should be a level of remorse for the victims,” Shah argued. “And she made it very publicly known — at least to Elizabeth and I — that there’s no remorse there. She outrightly said it.”
Shah raised concern over Maxwell’s alleged favorable treatment in prison, claiming that the former socialite received privileges that other inmates had no access to.
“[Maxwell] was treated very well there. She was afforded things that nobody else was afforded, like private workout sessions, special meals, bottled water,” Shah told People. “Everybody witnessed it, and I know that firsthand because I worked in [recreation] so I would have to clean things up. I was also asked for certain equipment because she was going to go work out late at night.”
Shah went on to say, “There’s a process you have to go through to schedule your legal calls. She would not have to go through the same process.”
In response to Shah’s allegations, a spokesperson for the Bureau of Prisons told People that its staff is “committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, and professionalism in the operation of its facilities.”
“Staff are required to treat all inmates equitably, in accordance with law, policy, and institutional security and safety protocols. Any deviation from this standard undermines public trust and the fair administration of justice,” a BOP statement read. “Violations of this policy are subject to a full range of disciplinary actions, up to and including removal from federal service and potential criminal prosecution.”
Us Weekly has reached out to the Bureau of Prisons for comment.
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Shah seemingly had a much friendlier rapport with former Theranos CEO Holmes, who was found guilty on four counts of fraud and conspiracy to commit fraud against investors in 2022.
“Lizzie and I are good friends,” Shah told the publication. “As another high-profile prisoner, there are just certain things you’re both dealing with, so you naturally come together in those instances.”
For her part, Shah insisted that she is working to repay the $6.6 million she owes in restitution for allegedly defrauding elderly clients as part of a telemarketing scheme.
“I’d like to say that I’m sorry and I’m here and accepting responsibility and have made it my mission as part of my consequences to make sure that people are paid back through the restitution,” she said. “These people deserve to be made whole.”
If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
