'RHONY' Newbie Rebecca Minkoff's Deep Ties to Scientology Exposed: Reportedly Shelled Out Millions to Church and Rubbed Shoulders With Danny Masterson
Minkoff and her family are Scientologists and have deep ties to the church.
April 18 2024, Published 7:10 p.m. ET
Bravo fans will have plenty of drama to watch in the next season of The Real Housewives of New York — especially now that one of the ladies is a full-fledged Scientologist. Fashion designer Rebecca Minkoff has deep ties to the church and its high-profile members, including disgraced jailbird Danny Masterson, with her family being said to be one of the most powerful families in the controversial religious group.
Rebecca grew up in the church with her brother, Uri, and their parents, Dr. David Minkoff and Sue Minkoff. Her father was involved in one of the most sensationalized scandals in the Church of Scientology's history, paying $100k as part of a wrongful death lawsuit involving the 1995 passing of Scientologist Lisa McPherson, according to the Tampa Bay Times.
Rebecca's parents and brother are members of the church and reportedly hold the prestigious "Diamond Meritorious" status.
Daily Mail did a deep dive into Rebecca and her life as a Scientologist after it was revealed she was the newest member of RHONY. She has reportedly started filming Season 15 with Sai De Silva, Ubah Hassan, Erin Lichy, Jenna Lyons, Jessel Taank, and Brynn Whitfield. Her religion — which she's openly spoken about — will likely be a hot topic of discussion among the women.
According to The Underground Bunker, Rebecca's family was awarded the church's prestigious "Diamond Meritorious" status when they hit $5 million in donations. She's been a member for decades and has rubbed shoulders with some of the most famous Scientologists in Hollywood, including Dharma & Greg actress Jenna Elfman and Masterson.
She was also dragged into a kidnapping lawsuit from an ex-member who took legal action against the church.
As this outlet reported, Masterson was convicted of raping two women in the early 2000s at the height of his television career. He's serving his 30-year sentence at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo. Photos showcasing the new RHONY star's friendship with the now-incarcerated That '70s Show actor date back decades to as early as 2004.
The most recent image of Rebecca with Masterson appears to be from 2015 at an event for her fashion label. Despite his conviction, the picture is still on her Facebook page.
RadarOnline.com told you — Rebecca was dragged into a lawsuit involving ex-church member Valerie Haney last year, who sued Scientology, accusing the organization of holding her against her will during her time working as part of the Sea Org near Hemet, California.
Haney claimed that since she escaped the church, she's been subjected to harassment, including surveillance, intimidation, and internet attacks. The Church of Scientology denied her allegations. Haney nominated Elfman and Rebecca as arbitrators in the legal mess.
Sources shared she has not been offered a full-time housewife role or been given the "friend of" title.
Rebecca proudly addressed her faith and defended Scientology in a New York Times profile, published in 2021.
"I think there’s a lot of confusion when people hear the word 'religion' — immediately you hear that I pray to L. Ron Hubbard," the designer said.
"I study it, I take classes and that’s the extent of it, and it’s helped me stay centered. I don’t have all the answers. When I needed someone, it was a place for me to go get some answers," Rebecca continued, before slamming critics of the church for allegedly spreading "horrific misinformation."
Rebecca's role on 'RHONY' is unclear, meaning it hasn't been revealed if she'll be holding an apple or appearing as a friend.
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Bravo Daddy Andy Cohen didn't bat an eyelash when he was confronted about Rebecca being a member of the church. When asked about her involvement in the upcoming season, Cohen teased, "I can't say anything," before his SiriusXM radio show cohost said, "I didn't realize she's a Scientologist. That's fun." Cohen was silent and changed the topic immediately. It's unclear if Rebecca will be holding an apple with the ladies or if she'll just be appearing as a friend this season.
RadarOnline.com has reached out to Bravo for comment.
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