Former “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” star Jen Shah recently broke her silence on where she stands with Mary Cosby. The pair feuded incessantly on the first two seasons of the Bravo reality series. However, their relationship stalled after Shah was imprisoned in February 2023. In her first interview since her release, Shah opened up about her reported crimes and her relationship with many of her former co-stars.
Jen Shah Reached Out To Mary Cosby Following Her Son’s Sudden Death In February 2026
Shah and Cosby have a complicated history, as documented in earlier episodes of “RHOSLC.” Despite the past, Shah recently told PEOPLE that she decided to reach out to Cosby privately after learning her son passed away at 23.
“I felt like that was the respectful thing to do, so I mailed her a card and just told her how deeply sorry that I was to hear about the passing of Robert Jr., and that she’s in my family’s prayers every day,” Shah said.
According to a report from The Blast, Robert Cosby Jr. was pronounced dead in Salt Lake City in February 2026 after police responded to a call of a potential overdose.
Jen Shah Shares Why She Reached Out To Cosby Privately Rather Than Speaking Out Publicly
Several “Real Housewives” stars publicly showed their support for Cosby. Shah, however, said that she reached out to Cosby privately for a specific reason.
“I wanted to write to her and let her know that even though I hadn’t talked to her obviously for a few years while I’ve been gone, that I care about her, especially with right now, what she’s going through,” Shah said. “And I chose to reach out privately because I didn’t want it to be a distraction. … I wanted it to remain about what Mary was going through and about her son and honoring his memory.”
Cosby confirmed her son’s death in an Instagram post, per The Blast, saying he had “been called home to the Lord.”
She added, “Though our hearts ache, we take comfort in God’s promise and in knowing he is finally at peace. We are grateful for your prayers and trust in the Lord to carry us through this time of sorrow.”
Jen Shah Opens Up About Life Behind Bars
Elsewhere during her latest interview, Shah spoke out about her experience behind bars.
For those unfamiliar, the former reality star was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison in the summer of 2022 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
US Attorneys claimed Shah was the mastermind behind a massive telemarketing scheme that defrauded elderly and other vulnerable victims.
In prison, Shah said she was required to walk around with a pink card, likened to a “scarlet letter,” informing others that she was a high-profile inmate.
“I had to carry it around and check in with officers every two hours,” she said.
Shah Said Being In Prison Was Like A ‘BravoCon Meet And Greet’
While behind bars at FPC Bryan in Texas, Shah said she met many fans of the “Real Housewives” franchise.
“Listen, it was like a BravoCon meet and greet when I got there,” she said. “Literally.”
“I didn’t know that there were so many fans there,” Shah continued. “I had people coming up to me, saying, ‘Hi, I’m the President of the Salt Lake City fan club out of Louisiana.”
When Shah first entered, though, the prison staff had to remove Bravo from the TVs because of the extra attention it drew to her.
“They had taken Bravo off all the TVs because it was drawing a lot of attention,” she said. “But after a few months, they put it back on… and it was just mayhem from then on.”
How Did Shah Find Herself Involved In The Alleged Scheme That Sent Her To Prison?
During her interview, Shah got candid about how she found herself at the center of the legal battle that sent her to prison.
“It’s a long and a very complex journey that brought me to this point,” she revealed about the matter. “And without re-litigating it, I became involved in the case because I made horrible business decisions and I disregarded huge red flags. I allowed the lines to be blurred between personal friendships and ethical business practices. And in essence, I trusted the wrong people at a very vulnerable time in my life.”
