A castmate of Hulu’s The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is being sued for defamation after she accused a Vanderpump Villa star of sexually assaulting her.
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According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Demi Engemann was slapped with a lawsuit from Marciano Brunette for falsely (and continuously) referring to him as a “sexual predator.” He also denies her claims that he assaulted her.
Brunette further accused Engemann of lying about their interaction at the “Vanderpump Villa” in Italy last year. He claimed the kiss they shared off camera was consensual, despite her allegations.
Brunette also claimed that the Mormon Wives star’s story about what happened in Italy has “shifted.”
He alleged she has “reframed the obviously consensual interaction as one of sexual misconduct. Then she went with “sexual assault” to make a storyline for herself. She made the allegations throughout the latest season of Mormon Wives.
Following the third season premiere of Mormon Wives, Brunette issued a statement to PEOPLE denying all assault allegations.
“I want to be absolutely clear: I am taking this matter extremely seriously,” he said. “This is the most difficult situation I have ever faced, and the allegations against me are not only entirely false but profoundly damaging. I remain committed to addressing this issue fully and transparently.”
‘Mormon Wives’ Producer Jeff Jenkin Is Also Being Sued
Along with Engemann, Brunette is suing Mormon Wives producer Jeff Jenkins, stating that the Hulu show’s production “aired the allegations in a way designed to maximize impact while cutting Marciano out and denying him any meaningful opportunity to respond.”
Brunette further stated that the reality TV show’s production team had “obvious reasons” to doubt Engemann’s account. This included “inconsistencies, delay, and facts known to Production that undermined the claims.”
However, he claimed that the show “amplified the same accusations for profit.”
Brunette has included text message exchanges between him and Engemann in his documents. He said that Engemann stayed in contact with him following the Italy trip. She also shared her location with him. “That behavior confirms a continued relationship,” he stated. “Not a person reacting to sexual assault.”
The lawsuit further stated that Engemann’s false claims towards Brunette have resulted in “lost professional opportunities, harassment by strangers, and lasting harm” to his reputation.
Brunette is suing Engemann and the production team for damages. He also noted that he wants a “narrowly tailored injunction” that prohibits the defendants from “repeating and republishing all of the statements that are adjudicated by this Court to be defamatory.”
Engemann recently repeated her allegations against Brunette during the Mormon Wives reunion. “I think just like deep, deep wounds and things for me that I haven’t fully uncovered,” she said. “And things I know I’ve been through that I blocked out as well.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.