Marciano Brunette Settles Defamation Lawsuit Against Demi Engemann

Court documents filed by Brunette’s lawyers in Utah State District Court confirm that he has reached a settlement with Engemann, 31, and Mormon Wives producers to resolve all claims among them. A spokesperson for Engemann stated that the parties have reached an agreement out of court resolving all claims among them; however, neither party will provide any further comment on the matter.

According to the petition, Brunette initially sued Engemann in December, accusing her of damaging his reputation by falsely claiming he had committed “criminal sexual conduct.” Brunette’s lawyers denied these allegations, stating that Engemann and Brunette had engaged in a consensual relationship during filming for Vanderpump Villa in Italy in 2024.

In their legal filing, Brunette’s attorneys argued that Engemann's pending motions would become moot upon the filing of the stipulation of dismissal with prejudice within twenty-five days. Delaying judgment on Engemann's request to dismiss the lawsuit would avoid creating confusion and inconsistent results, they contended.

The suit also maintained that Brunette faced significant reputational damage following the publication of Engemann's accusations against him. According to the documents, Brunette experienced lost professional opportunities, harassment by strangers, and lasting harm to his reputation as a direct consequence of the false accusations.

Brunette initially accused Engemann of publishing broadly-repeated accusations meant to frame him as guilty of "criminal sexual conduct." This narrative developed into a key plot point throughout Season three and four of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

News of the settlement coincided with confirmation from Mormon Wives star Layla Taylor about resuming production on season six, with Taylor announcing this development on August 5th episode of Hulu’s podcast, Get Real.