Naman Shrestha
In TLC’s ‘The Cult Of The Real Housewife,’ the primary focus is on the controversies surrounding Faith Temple Pentecostal Church and its First Lady, Mary Cosby, who features in ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.’ The three-part documentary series delves deep into the allegations of monetary foul play that former congregation members claim that Mary committed. On top of that, the reality TV star is also accused of running a cult through the church. Featuring former members and Mary’s family, the docuseries also chronicles the rich history of the church and how it was founded by Mary’s grandmother, Rosemary “Mama” Redmon Cosby.
Mary Cosby is a Reality Star Accused of Running a Cult
Born on October 17, 1972, to Rosalind Cazares, Mary Martha Cosby (née Harris) is the youngest of her siblings, including her older sister, Denise Jefferson Odinaka. As for her father, he originally hailed from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Growing up close to her grandmother, Dr. Rosemary “Mama” Redmon Cosby, who founded Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, Mary also inherited her faith in religion and Christ. However, tensions within the family arose after the tragic demise of Mama in January 1997 as her widower, Robert C. Cosby, and her children got into an argument about the possession of Mama’s assets, such as day care, beauty salon, printing company, and more.
More unrest followed in September 1998, when Robert tied the knot with Mary, who was his step-granddaughter. This controversial union led to Mary’s estrangement from her mother, Rosalind, but made her the First Lady of Faith Temple Pentecostal Church. Before her marriage to Robert, she was briefly married to Dana Harris, which resulted in a divorce. In the following years, Mary and Robert welcomed a son named Robert Jr. into the world. In the face of controversy, Mary has always defended her marriage by claiming that it was her late grandmother’s wish.
Over the following two decades, Mary ran the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church alongside her husband. Given her lavish lifestyle, she became one of the cast members of ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City.’ However, soon, ex-members of her congregation and a few of the fellow cast members of the reality show accused her of running a cult in the name of the church. Besides the Bravo show, she has also made an appearance on ‘Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen.’ Although she denied the allegations and called them ridiculous, Mary also did not feature in the reunion special of season 2 as well as season 3 of the show. After returning in season 4 as a guest, she made her full-time return in the fifth season. It’s essential to note that no criminal conviction has been made against Mary in connection with these claims.
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Mary Cosby is Focusing on Her Reopened Church and Recovering Son
Besides the accusations of her running a cult through the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church, Mary Cosby has found herself in a couple of other controversies. For instance, in April 2021, she was charged with providing shelter to a runaway. A few months later, in August 2021, she pleaded not guilty to the charges against her. More than a year later, her charges were dismissed. Furthermore, she also made a few racist comments on ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,’ stating, “When I think about Jen (Shah), I see heartless, I see a thug. Like, you know, those Mexican people that make all those drugs.” Later, in December 2021, she apologized for the same. The Salt Lake City resident also accused a couple of executives of United Security Financial of embezzlement and reportedly filed a lawsuit against them in September 2024.
For a couple of years, Mary had shut down her church, claiming it was undergoing renovation. After its reopening, the First Lady of the church expressed her desire for ‘The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City’ season 6 cast to be a member of her congregation. In an interview with Bravo HQ, she stated that reopening her church is her way of helping others. She said, “…opening these doors is like opening a new home. And there is no place like home.” She added, “If I could say one thing that would maybe change your whole way of thinking, and put you on a right path, I’ll do it.” Since she had a break from standing in front of her congregation, the reopening got her “extremely nervous.” On the personal front, Mary has been helping her son, Robert, with his rehabilitation and recovery.
Claiming that a higher power helped Robert in his road to recovery, Mary told him, “I feel like if you don’t have that higher help, you’re still going to be back in that same dark circle that you’re trying to come out of.” Hoping that the reopening of her church would have a positive impact on her son, she was disappointed when he wasn’t by her side for the same. “I’m crushed. But I know today is not his time and today is not for him. So, I just have to keep trusting and believing that his time will come. And when it does, he’ll be ready,” she confessed. Meanwhile, Mary tries her best to stay in good spirits, thanks to her husband, son, and her two furry friends, including Donatello. Moreover, in July 2025, she attended the Las Culturistas Culture Awards 2025, alongside her fellow cast members. In November, she was asked about the cult allegations against her at the BravoCon 2025, to which she responded ironically, “If it was a cult, it would be more people.”
