Cult accusations, abuse and more
The investigative docuseries “The Cult of the Real Housewife” has arrived on TLC, and the three-episode exposé unpacks allegations of cult behavior surrounding “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City” reality star Mary Cosby and her church.
From first-hand accounts from former congregants to family members delving into Cosby’s turbulent childhood and her highly criticized marriage to her step-grandfather, the three-hour documentary reveals much more than the rumored accusations from cult leaders at Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, the church Cosby shares with her husband, Robert Cosby Sr., in Salt Lake City.
Featuring appearances from investigative journalists and bloggers who covered the story, as well as a leading cult expert, the docuseries includes excerpts from recordings of Mary and Robert’s controversial sermons, along with historical information about the rise of Faith Temple.
“The Cult of the Real Housewife” is directed and produced by Elli Hakami and Julian P. Hobbs, a directing duo who also helmed Discovery+’s “House of Hammer,” which chronicled sexual abuse allegations and actor Armie Hammer’s troubled family history.
Below we have listed the biggest revelations from the docuseries.
Cosby’s ex-boyfriend claims she was a bully
Michael Enoch, a former member of Faith Temple Church and Cosby’s self-proclaimed childhood friend, describes the reality star as having a mean streak as a child: “Mary was a bully. I remember Mary bullying certain girls and controlling them. When you’re kids, you see these things and you don’t think about it much. But as an adult you look back on it. And she was not a nice person.”
Cosby married her step-grandfather after her grandmother died
On Season 1 of ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,’ Cosby appeared with her husband, Robert Sr., and discussed how her late grandmother arranged for her to marry her step-grandfather as set out in her will. “She said if anything ever happens to me, I want you to marry one of my girls because they will take care of you,” Robert Sr. said during their confessional. The two, married since 1998, when Mary was in her early twenties, and Robert Sr. twenty years older than her, share a son named Robert Jr.
Audio leaks of Cosby berating her congregation
In an audio fragment which was allegedly obtained from someone within the church, the documentary includes a resurfaced audio clip of Cosby speaking to members of her church, calling them “poor” and “stingy” for giving her only fourteen birthday cards and not contributing enough with their tithes. Former church member and organist Ernest Enoch says he was present during the incident and claims he gave her a birthday card with $1,000 inside.
Former members claim they felt forced to pay large sums in the form of sacrifices
In addition to the tithes, former churchgoers allege that the Cosbys would make sacrifices for six months, pressuring members to make large financial sacrifices for the advancement of the church. Ex-church member Rosalind Enoch also claims that a week in between their lifting offerings, they would also be told that the church was in dire need of financial assistance with requests for up to $100,000 being offered within a few days.
Rosalind also says members have cashed out their 401Ks and mortgaged their homes to pay large sums of money to the church. “We would have these meetings after church, and Robert would instruct the ushers to stand at the doors. You’re barricaded there,” she says. “At this meeting, everyone put their name and amount on the list. If you didn’t have a certain amount, Robert said, ‘And that’s all you have.'”
Cosby’s cousin accuses her of having an affair
Dan Cosby said former congregant Cameron Williams — who died of complications from a brain tumor after his 2021 appearance on “RHOSLC” — talks about having an intimate relationship with Cosby. During a phone call, Dan says Cameron told him that Mary had gone to his house and asked him to put on music. After sitting next to her, Cameron allegedly told Dan, Mary took his hand and started “rubbing” her.
Dan recalls: “According to Cameron, he put his hand in her vagina.” Dan goes on to say that Cameron told him, “Then we had sex.” In an audio clip with Dan, Cameron says, “We had an affair and everything, but I became the victim. It took therapy to get out of that.” Ernest also reveals that Cameron told him about the affair.
Family members claim that Robert Sr. abused
In the documentary, Sam Kelly, Cosby’s uncle, describes that Robert Sr. has a two-faced personality and showed cruel behavior towards him as a child. Growing up, Kelly remembers meeting with Robert Sr. and other elders of the Church, where they would gather the Church’s young men on weekends for lessons designed for their personal development.
During those classes, Dan and Kelly claim Robert Sr. forced them to do push-ups, sprint around the church, and hold books while running in place, among other things. “He and some of the older ones were in the military, and they did that to us as kids,” Dan says, holding back tears. “For example, you take a pin and put it under your knees so you don’t hit the pin or it doesn’t stick to you. I remember one kid couldn’t do a push-up or a sit-up, and one of the older ones kicked him.”
Cosby was excommunicated from the church as a young adult
According to family members, Cosby had a difficult childhood during which she would reportedly run away from home several times, skip school and frequently clash with her mother. Their strained relationship led to her grandmother stepping in to care for Cosby. Her problematic behavior reached a point where she was expelled from Faith Temple Church. While he was being shunned, Cosby’s grandmother died.
Cosby reportedly divorced her first husband to marry Robert Sr. to get married.
Investigative journalist Cheyenne Roundtree found Cosby’s divorce and marriage certificate, which shows that she divorced Robert Sr. 19 days after her divorce was finalized. married. After Cosby’s grandmother died, her family supported her marriage to Robert Sr.
During a strike service, Cosby’s mother stood in the pulpit and publicly rejected their marriage in front of the congregation. “All these lies have been put out, that is not God,” she said in a video clip. “Listen to me today. If this is my last position in the pulpit, then what is happening here is not God.”
Allegations of financial abuse
According to Roundtree, several church members told her that they were expected to do free grocery shopping, clean up and manage accounts, among other responsibilities, for Cosby and Robert Sr. For five years, Rosalind – who at one point lived with the couple – says she was responsible for housework and grocery shopping. “I never got paid,” she says in the documentary. “I collected unemployment. I think they thought I would make a living from that. It was more like a slave plantation.”
