Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Meredith Marks has opened up about the "lose-lose" wire fraud case her co-star Jen Shah is embroiled in.
Jen, 48, was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud during the reality show's second series and pleaded not guilty to both charges.
However in July of this year, she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, telling a New York judge she "knew many people were harmed" and that she was "so sorry".
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The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering was dropped in exchange for her plea change.
Since, prosecutors have asked for a sentence of up to 14 years in prison, restitution of more than $9million (£8.3m) to victims, and a fine of $6m (£5.5m).
Speaking exclusively to Daily Star ahead of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City's third season, Meredith Marks has said news of Jen's plea-change was "shocking".
The 50-year-old told us: "It was really, really surprising.
"In my view it was, it's going to trial, let everything unfold and, no matter what happened in the trial, I always believed that Jen believed her [own] innocence, so the change was very, very surprising to me.
"Hopefully we'll get to see the whole backstory there, I don't know if we will or won't."
The moment the cast learned of the charges against Jen was all caught on camera, but despite being three series in, Meredith has said filming difficult situations isn't always easy.
She said: "I don't think ever under any circumstances hearing that a friend who is facing these serious allegations and knowing that the outcome, what it could be – a prison term, restitution – is never easy.
"But then you have the other side of it where you're thinking about these victims and it's just a lose-lose all the way around, it's heart-wrenching.
"I can't imagine any circumstance in which that would be easy."
Luckily, Meredith is finding her own life "much easier" to film as her family is in a great place.
She said: "Everything has come full circle for me and [husband] Seth, we are in such a positive space, it's really incredible. We haven't been this good in decades, maybe ever.
"So that's much easier than being at odds, like, oh gosh, what's he gonna say next?"
The jewellery designer and business-woman added: "For my family as a whole I feel it's a lot better, I feel like everything has fallen into place for [her children] Brooks and for Chloe and they're really on a great trajectory in life, so all that makes it easier."
Stream the brand-new season of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Hayu from September 29, serving up icy drama the same day as the USA
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