Debt, Catfishing, & Underage Courting: 'Sister Wives' Secrets & Scandals Revealed!
Apr. 18 2019, Updated 2:42 p.m. ET
Sister Wives has been a hotbed of secrets and scandals!
The hit TLC reality show about polygamist Kody Brown and his four wives—Meri, Christine, Janelle, and Robyn--has shocked TV viewers since 2010.
Plus, RadarOnline.com has exclusively exposed family issues that were never revealed on the show!
Among other shockers, Kody once courted an underage girl, married his sister-in-law, has gone into debt, and never legally wed two of his "wives" in the bizarre arrangement.
He divorced first spouse Meri to wed fourth wife Robyn.
Meri later got catfished, falling for someone she believed was a man but humiliatingly turned out to be a woman.
While Meri failed to conceive a second child, Janelle suffered from postpartum depression.
It's been hard for the women to deal with the odd polygamist situation and avoid feuding. Recently, as RadarOnline.com reported, Meri and Christine went on a trip to Puerto Rico and ignored each other.
Scroll through the gallery for more on Kody and his wives' scandalous lives!
Money Trouble
Kody is in tax debt after he rushed the family's move from Nevada to Arizona, RadarOnline.com exclusively learned. The Coconino County Treasurer's Office in Arizona confirmed that Kody, Robyn and Christine failed to pay taxes in the amount of $2,063.70 on their parcel of land, which was due on December 31, 2018. Money is also owed on another Arizona property.
House Of Horrors
The Browns had to slash the price of the Las Vegas home they are selling by $25,000 amid their financial woes, as RadarOnline.com reported.
Not A Sister Wife?
According to a warranty deed RadarOnline.com obtained from Iron County in Utah for Meri’s bed and breakfast, Lizzie’s Heritage Inn, she is listed as an "unmarried woman" despite her "marriage" to Kody.
Not So Meri
Kody actually divorced Meri in 2014 to legally marry fourth wife Robyn—and to be able to adopt Robyn's children from a previous marriage.
In Name Only
Kody never legally wed his other "wives," Janelle and Christine. Although Kody considers Robyn his "fourth" wife, he never legally wed his other so-called spouses, Janelle and Christine.
Bad Romance
Meri famously got catfished on the internet, falling for someone she believed was a man —only to later find out it was a woman named Jackie Overton who had deceived her.
Catfish Crisis
Overton penned the book Almost Meri’ed about her relationship with Kody's ex-wife, revealing explicit allegations about their affair.
Battle Of The Bulge
As RadarOnline.com readers know, Janelle has been has been trying to lose weight for a long time. For a blog post, Janelle told fans she suffers from "the F*#k its," which is "when all your food addictions and bad habits speak to you the loudest."
Polygamy Blues?
Meri's been brought to tears over her status in the family and in 2017, she took to Twitter with the message all in caps, "THERE COMES A POINT WHEN YOU HAVE TO REALIZE THAT YOU'LL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR SOME PEOPLE. THE QUESTION IS, IS THAT YOUR PROBLEM OR THEIRS?" Fans wondered what was going on with Meri, who has tried to forge her own path away from Kody and his other wives.
Scandalous Secret
In the Sister Wives stars’ tell-all Becoming Sister Wives: The Story of an Unconventional Marriage, the family revealed how Kody once courted an underage teen. He was then married to Meri and incredibly, she said she approved of the girl joining them in a polygamous family. But it didn't wind up happening.
Not Neighbors
In early 2019, RadarOnline.com reported that Kody's spouses actually live miles apart amid a family feud.
Single & Ready To Mingle
As Meri ended her trip to Puerto Rico on Friday, April 5, 2019, Kody's scorned Sister Wives spouse revealed on Instagram that she'd given a bottle of rum to a couple of random men at her hotel!
Too Close For Comfort
Meri was actually Janelle's sister-in-law! Janelle was previously married to Meri's brother, Adam Clark Barber. After Meri and Kody were married for a couple of years, Meri introduced him to Janelle. Later, Janelle divorced Barber and got together with Kody.
Axed
Meri reportedly got fired from her job after her employer found out she was going to disclose her sister wife life on TV. She had not previously told her supervisor she was involved in polygamy. While Meri's boss was initially supportive, she got the axe two months later.
Baby Sadness
Meri struggled to conceive a second child with Kody and they were never able to make it happen.
Moving Hell
As RadarOnline.com reported, a family feud erupted after Kody decided to move everyone from Nevada to Arizona.
Post-Baby Blues
Janelle has disclosed that she suffered severe postpartum depression. After having her fifth child, she said, “I felt overwhelmed by having had so many children in quick succession, and felt seriously depressed at our lack of financial means.” Janelle moved away from Kody but later they reconciled.
Early Debt
RadarOnline.com Online uncovered court documents that revealed Meri and Kody filed for bankruptcy in 2005 because they were having trouble supporting their ever-growing polygamist family.
Cruising Apart
Meri and Christine recently went on a cruise with family and friends. But the Sister Wives stars didn’t appear to be together, as they ignored each other during the 10-day getaway, RadarOnline.com learned.