Jen Shah is hoping to make amends for her role in orchestrating a fraud scheme while serving her prison sentence.
Ahead of the Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star, 49, reporting to a prison somewhere in the "Texas region" on Friday to begin her 78-month (6.5 years) sentence, her attorney Priya Chaudhry issued a statement to PEOPLE on Thursday.
"Jen Shah's resolve to make her victims whole and to turn her life around is unyielding," the statement read. "She is committed to serving her sentence with courage and purpose, fueled by her desire to make amends for the hurt she has caused and to help others in her new community."
The statement continued: "No obstacle will deter Jen from making the most of her time in prison and she's determined to make restitution to those whose lives she has impacted.
"Her path ahead will be filled with challenges, but with the unwavering love and support of her family and friends, Jen is prepared to face these challenges head-on and emerge from this experience a better person who makes a positive impact on others."
Shah and one of her assistants, Stuart Smith, were originally arrested in March 2021; they initially pleaded not guilty in April 2021.
Her assistant pled guilty in November 2021, but Shah maintained her innocence until a court hearing in July 2022 when she reversed her plea.
"Ms. Shah is a good woman who crossed a line. She accepts full responsibility for her actions and deeply apologizes to all who have been harmed," Chaudhry told PEOPLE at the time. "Ms. Shah is also sorry for disappointing her husband, children, family, friends, and supporters. Jen pled guilty because she wants to pay her debt to society and put this ordeal behind her and her family."
Last month, a New York judge sentenced her to 6.5 years in prison. She also received five years of supervision after her sentence "to make sure you don't end up committing another crime," Judge Sidney Stein told Shah.
The reality star also addressed her younger son and her father directly: "To my baby Omar, Mommy is so sorry you were woken up at gunpoint. My late father, I want to tell him I am sorry. I am humbled by your love for me."
Court documents obtained by PEOPLE showed victim impact statements for Shah's alleged wrongdoings. One man said he "wasted about $40,000 trying to do good for my family," while another said they paid $100,000. Two of the victims who gave statements said the scam drove them to homelessness.
Chaudhry told PEOPLE at the time: "Ms. Shah is devastated by the suffering she has caused these people. She vows to dedicate her life to trying to make each one whole."
Shah filmed some episodes of RHOSLC between her arrest and sentencing — though she did not film the show's season 3 reunion.
