‘RHOSLC’ Star Mary Cosby’s Church Investigated: New TLC Doc Alleges Cult Behavior, Abuse, Unpacks Her Marriage to Step-Grandfather 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 ex-congregants to family members diving into Cosby’s turbulent childhood and her highly criticized marriage to her step-grandfather, the three-hour documentary reveals much more than the rumored cult leader accusations happening at Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, the church Cosby shares with her husband, Robert Cosby Sr., in Salt Lake City.

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​With appearances from investigative journalists and bloggers who have covered the story, as well as a leading cult expert, the docuseries features clips of recordings of controversial sermons preached by Mary and Robert, 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 led Discovery+’s “House of Hammer,” which chronicled sexual abuse allegations and the checkered family history of actor Armie Hammer.​

Below, we broke down the biggest revelations from the docuseries.

Cosby’s ex-boyfriend claims she was a childhood bully​

Michael Enoch, a former member of Faith Temple Church and Cosby’s self-proclaimed childhood boyfriend, describes the reality star as having a mean streak as a kid: “Mary was a bully. I remember Mary picking on certain girls and controlling them. When you’re kids, you see these things and don’t think much of it. But as an adult, you look back on it. And she wasn’t a nice person.”

Cosby marries her step-grandfather after her grandmother died

In Season 1 of “The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” Cosby appeared with her husband, Robert Sr., discussing how her late grandmother arranged for her to marry her step-grandfather as expressed in her will. “She said if anything ever happens to me, I want you to marry one of my girls because they’ll look out for you,” Robert Sr. said during their confessional. The two, married since 1998 when Mary was in her early 20s, and Robert Sr. was 20 years her senior, share a son named Robert Jr.

Audio leaks of Cosby berating her congregation​

In an audio clip that was allegedly obtained from someone inside the church, the documentary includes a resurfaced sound bite of Cosby speaking to members of her church, in which she called them “poor” and “stingy” for giving her only 14 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 payments in offerings

​In addition to tithing, former churchgoers allege that the Cosbys would have six-month heave offerings, in which they would pressure 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 heave offerings, they would also be told the church needed urgent financial assistance with offering requests up to $100,000 within a few days. 

Rosalind also says members cashed out their 401Ks and mortgaged their homes in order to pay large sums to the church. “We would have these meetings after church, and Robert would instruct ushers to stand at the doors. You’re barricaded in there,” she says. “During this meeting, everyone put their name and amount on the list. If you didn’t have a certain amount, Robert would say, ‘And that’s all you have.’”

Cosby’s first cousin accuses her of having an affair​

Dan Cosby said ex-congregant Cameron Williams — who died after his appearance on “RHOSLC” in 2021 from complications after a brain tumor — talks about having an intimate relationship with Cosby. During a phone call, Dan says that Cameron told him Mary went to his house and requested that he put on music. After sitting beside her, Cameron allegedly told Dan, Mary grabbed his hand and started “rubbing her.”

Dan recalls, “According to Cameron, he put his hand in her vagina.” Dan continues, saying Cameron told him, “Then, we had sex.” In an audio clip with Dan, Cameron says, “We had the affair and all that, but that was me being victimized. It had to take therapy for me to get out of that.” Ernest also reveals that Cameron told him about the affair.

Family members claim Robert Sr. was abusive

​In the documentary, Sam Kelly, Cosby’s uncle, describes Robert Sr. as having a two-faced personality and exhibiting cruel behavior toward him as a child. Growing up, Kelly recalls having meetings with Robert Sr. and other church elders  where they would gather the young men of the church over the weekend for lessons designed for their personal development.

During those lessons, Dan and Kelly allege that Robert Sr. would force them to do pushups, sprint around the church, hold books while running in place, among other tasks. “He and some of the older elders were in the military, and they were putting that in us as kids,” Dan says while holding back tears. “For example, taking a pin and putting it under your knees so you wouldn’t hit the pin or it wouldn’t stick to you. I remember a kid couldn’t do a pushup or a sit up, and one of the elders kicked him.”

Cosby was excommunicated from the church as a young adult

According to family members, Cosby had a difficult childhood where she allegedly would run away from home several times, skip school and frequently clash with her mother. Their strained relationship led to her grandmother stepping in to help take care of Cosby. Her troubled behavior reached a point where she was disfellowshipped from Faith Temple Church. While shunned, Cosby’s grandmother died.

Cosby allegedly divorced her first husband to marry Robert Sr.

​Investigative journalist Cheyenne Roundtree found Cosby’s divorce and marriage records, which reveal that she married Robert Sr. 19 days after her divorce was finalized. After Cosby’s grandmother died, her family wasn’t supportive of her marriage to Robert Sr.

During a walkout 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. “You hear me today. If this is my last stand in the pulpit, that is not God what’s going on around here.”

Financial abuse claims

According to Roundtree, several church members told her they were expected to run errands, clean and manage bills, among other responsibilities, for Cosby and Robert Sr., free of charge. For five years, Rosalind — who at one point lived with the couple — says she was responsible for housekeeping and running errands. “I was never paid,” she says in the documentary. “I was collecting unemployment. I guess that’s what they thought I would live on. It was more like a slave plantation.”