What Happened Between Demi & Marciano? ‘Mormon Wives’ Cheating Scandal, Explained
Warning: The following post contains discussions of sexual assault.
As we enter the murky waters of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives Season 4, there’s some very necessary context to keep in mind. Because, as eagle-eyed fans have noticed, Demi Engemann is seemingly missing from the crew. Our favorite Mormon wifeys are still reeling from the fallout of the Great Mormon Wives cheating scandal and its many messy allegations.
Amid the explosive Season 3 finale — a.k.a. Dakota Mortensen’s major betrayal involving Taylor Frankie Paul‘s family friend — it’s easy to forget the other betrayal that rocked the group. So, as the drama reignites again, here’s your quick, soda-fueled refresher on what went down between Demi Engemann and Marciano Brunette.
What happened between Demi and Marciano?
In the Vanderpump Villa
The reality TV crossover that’s still sending shockwaves? That would be the moment the Mormon Wives crew collided with Vanderpump Villa.
The spinoff of Vanderpump Rules featured Marciano Brunette working as a server when several of the Mormon wives checked in as guests. Well, not all of them. Demi, Jessi Ngatikaura, Jennifer Affleck, Mikayla Matthews, and Layla Taylor traveled to Italy for the villa stay.
Disney / Andrea Miconi
The episode started innocently enough with a drinking game between the castle staff and The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives cast. Naturally, it quickly spiraled into hurt feelings, accusations, and plenty of tension.
In a confessional, Marciano admitted he felt an “instant connection” with Demi, “not only physically,” but emotionally, too.
He later pulled her aside for a one-on-one chat. “I wanna get to know you,” he told her. “I’m gonna ask these questions, if you’ll allow me to. I think you owe it to yourself, and you owe it to me.” Demi seemed flirty during the conversation, but from what viewers saw on screen, nothing more happened.
Post-villa drama
After the villa getaway, things got very confusing. Rumors began circulating about a possible affair between the very married Demi and Marciano, until Marciano suddenly claimed the real connection had been between him and Jessi. Wait… what?
Marciano later alleged that Demi asked him to lie and blame her former friend, suggesting that the two of them had actually been involved in a secret tryst.
During an appearance on Nick Viall‘s podcast, The Viall Files, Demi shared a different and far more serious claim. She alleged that she was groped by a man during the Vanderpump Villa trip, though she did not name the person involved. Demi said she told her costars about the incident at the time, but didn’t want to file a police report.
The accusations and counterclaims quickly followed. Jen alleged that Demi cheated on her husband with Marciano and asked the other women not to reveal the affair.
Marciano added fuel to the fire with an Instagram Reel captioned, “Uninvited to the function cus a 30yo mormon wife’s scared I’ll tell her husband the truth.” The now-deleted post was widely believed to reference Hulu’s Get Real House event on April 22, 2025, which brought together stars from across the streamer’s reality shows, including Demi and costar Whitney Leavitt. Marciano was notably absent.
Demi later clapped back in the comments of a fan post about the drama, writing: “Grown men acting like a child cause they couldn’t bag a woman that was beyond out of their league and MARRIED <<< the clout chasing is on another level.”
In another comment, she claimed Marciano had actually been uninvited “because he’s a sexual predator that can’t keep his hands to himself, not because I’m hiding anything from my husband.”
Things escalated further when Jessi cryptically commented on Marciano’s post, writing, “The truth will always come out.” When a fan replied that Jessi must no longer be close with Demi — noting Demi “doesn’t seem the type to cheat” — Jessi responded: “All I’ll say is it’s not ok to claim assault when it’s not true.”
Shortly after, Demi addressed the situation in an Instagram Story, writing: “Unwanted physical touch = assault. PERIOD the end.”
While Jessi previously admitted to an “emotional affair” in Season 2, Demi has continued to deny Marciano’s allegations of a relationship between them, instead maintaining that the encounter involved unwanted physical contact. The conflicting claims sent shockwaves through the fandom and only deepened the divide between Demi and the rest of the MomTok crew.
Is Demi still in MomTok?
Demi has alleged that she was assaulted by Marciano. Season 3 also highlighted her growing distance from the rest of the cast, especially after she accused her costars of victim-blaming.
Her claims left the other SLOMW stars confused, particularly since the Season 2 reunion had revealed texts between Marciano and Demi long after the alleged incident. At one point, Jessi confronted Demi, asking, “If he actually assaulted you, why did you continue to talk to him?”
Demi defended her choice to maintain communication, explaining, “There’s not one way to handle this situation. Everyone is going to handle these situations differently. You never deserve unwanted touch.”
She doubled down during a dinner with Whitney. When Whitney brought up some of the more suggestive texts Demi had sent to Marciano — including one comparing eating oysters to swallowing ejaculate — Demi shrugged it off: “That’s how I talk to all of my friends. I’m crude sometimes. I’m sarcastic. That’s how I am with everyone.”
Demi appears in Season 4 but declined to be interviewed and later refused to film. She avoided social gatherings with the rest of MomTok, even ones supporting Whitney, with whom she is supposedly on good terms.
What is Marciano’s lawsuit about?
In December 2025, Marciano filed a lawsuit against Demi, alleging that she used her platform as an influencer and reality star to falsely accuse him of sexual misconduct, according to the complaint obtained by People.
Also named in the suit is Jeff Jenkins Productions, the company behind The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. The complaint claims the production company had “reason to believe” Demi’s allegations were false, yet aired them anyway.
Demi’s legal team pushed back, stating that her speaking out about “unwanted touch” from Marciano during MomTok’s visit to Vanderpump Villa is protected under the First Amendment. They also noted that because Demi discussed the incident in connection with the two shows involved, it was “a matter of public interest.”
Is Marciano still on Vanderpump Villa?
Marciano was fired from Vanderpump Villa in Season 2, following a heated altercation with another Villa employee alongside his costar and ex-girlfriend, Hanna Fouch. He confirmed his exit in a May 2025 Instagram video, insisting it had “nothing to do with the Mormon wives.”
“Actually, I got fired for defending Hannah,” Marciano explained, adding that it doesn’t mean he’s “gone” for Season 3.
However, Marciano was back for Season 3 — because DadTok went to the villa! He spoke to Jordan Ngatikaura and Zac Affleck to clear the air, and they seemed happy with his explanation.
Are Demi and Jessi still friends?
As it stands, Demi and Jessi are not friends. The two clashed multiple times — during filming, in the reunion episode, and across social media — and Jessi has made it clear she will never reconcile.
Season 4 opened just before the explosive Season 3 reunion, with the pair attempting to further reconcile. But this quickly dissolved within a few episodes, and it seems like the pair will not be swapping friendship bracelets anytime soon.
We’ll keep you posted on further updates in the Demi, Marciano, and Jessi drama.
If you or someone you know is the victim of sexual assault, contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network‘s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Season 4, Streaming Now, Hulu
