'Vanderpump Villa' Star Marciano Brunette Files Defamation Suit Against Demi Engemann & 'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Team

Marciano Brunette, known for Vanderpump Villa, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Demi Engemann and the team behind The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.

According to filings from his attorneys at Dynamis LLP, Demi—who appears on both shows—and Jeff Jenkins Productions harmed his reputation by labeling him a “sexual predator” and alleging sexual assault during the third season of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, reports The Wrap.

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Marciano is denying Demi‘s claims of assault, maintaining that they had a consensual encounter.

“His core story is simple: they met while filming Vanderpump Villa in Italy in August 2024, flirted, talked privately, and kissed consensually,” Marciano‘s attorney wrote in the lawsuit summary, “He says she even told him ‘I love you,’ and he responded in kind. He says there was no non-consensual contact, no assault, and nothing ‘predatory’ about any of it.”

The complaint also alleges that the two reality stars stayed in touch after filming.

Furthermore, the suit suggests that Jeff Jenkins Productions “amplified the same accusations for profit,” building “major storylines” around her allegations and republishing them, airing the claims “in a way designed to maximize impact while cutting Marciano out and denying him any meaningful opportunity to respond.”

The Wrap shares that he is seeking damages and an injunction to prevent the show and Demi from repeating the statements.

Previously, Demi‘s co-star Jessi Ngatikaura admitted to having an emotional affair with Marciano. She and her husband, Jordan Ngatikaura, are trying to work through their troubles.

Amid all of this, former friends Demi and Jessi had a big falling out during the show’s third season, with Jessi even sharing some very NSFW information about Demi on Instagram in November.