Reality star Jen Shah and former Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes formed an unexpected connection while incarcerated in a Texas prison. Shah recently discussed her experiences and the friendship with Holmes after being released early from her sentence.

From Reality TV to Prison Life

Jen Shah, known for her role on ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,’ pleaded guilty to wire fraud in a telemarketing scheme targeting the elderly in 2023. She was initially sentenced to 78 months but was released on good behavior before Christmas, after serving over two years.

Holmes' Sentence and Background

Elizabeth Holmes, 42, is currently serving an 11-year sentence for wire fraud related to her blood-testing company, Theranos, which she founded in 2003. The company ultimately collapsed in 2018, and Holmes was convicted in 2022 on three counts of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

An Unlikely Friendship Forged in Shared Duties

Shah described becoming “really close” with many inmates, including Holmes, whom she affectionately calls “Lizzy.” She explained that shared experiences, particularly unpleasant ones, fostered their bond. “When you come through, as a high-profile too, there are just certain things where you both are dealing with… You naturally kind of come together in those instances,” Shah told People magazine.

The Reality of 'Poop Duty'

The pair were assigned to “poop duty” together, a task Shah described as surprisingly bonding. “I feel when you do poop duty with someone, you’re going to be close,” she said. The duty involved monitoring and cleaning the bathroom, with penalties for unsanitary conditions.

Shah explained the consequences of an unclean bathroom: “If your bathroom gets three strikes, you have to do poop duty.” She and Holmes worked to avoid the assignment, but ultimately were assigned the task. “You have to go sit in the bathroom, pull a metal chair in there and sit in the bathroom for an hour and watch everybody come in and use the bathroom,” Shah detailed the experience.

Beyond 'Poop Duty': Conversations and Support

For the last ten months of Shah’s sentence, she and Holmes lived in the same unit and shared a bathroom. Beyond the shared duty, they found time to connect on a deeper level. They would take walks and discuss their families and the challenges of prison life.

“That’s when we would have just, you know, our time to just talk,” Shah said. They also discussed prison reform, specifically the First Step Act, and ways they might be able to advocate for change. Holmes often asked Shah about what life would be like upon her release.

“It would be a lot of those kind of deep conversations, and there’s a lot of heartache there too, in prison,” Shah shared. “It was just, you know, being that sounding board for each other when you could just be like, ‘Hey, I need to… can we go walk and cry? I just need to cry.’”

Shah's Arrest and Initial Sentencing

Shah’s legal troubles began in March 2021 when Homeland Security apprehended her during filming for ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.’ She was arrested after receiving a phone call and abruptly leaving the production set.