What is Kody Brown's Net Worth?
Kody Brown, an American reality television star and known polygamist, has an estimated net worth of $800,000. He gained fame through the TV series "Sister Wives," which highlights the nuances of Brown's polygamous family life. His story also drew attention due to a significant legal challenge against Utah's polygamy laws, wherein he clarified that he is legally married to only one of his four wives, with the others being "spiritual unions."
Early Life
Kody Winn Brown was born on January 17, 1969, into a polygamous family. His father had three wives, and Kody grew up with three siblings. He has mentioned that growing up in a Mormon household presented unique challenges, especially concerning their faith.
Sister Wives
Kody's journey into the spotlight began with the debut of TLC's "Sister Wives" in 2010. The series offers a glimpse into his family's daily life, highlighting the dynamics and challenges of their polygamous lifestyle. Kody's initial motivation for the show was to bring polygamy into the mainstream conversation in the United States, hoping it would become more widely accepted.
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Legal Issues
Despite Kody's intention to promote polygamy positively through "Sister Wives," the series brought significant legal scrutiny. The US federal courts challenged Utah's polygamy laws, using footage from the show as evidence against Brown. Following the premiere episode, Utah authorities announced an investigation into Kody Brown for bigamy – a felony that could result in a maximum 20-year prison sentence, alongside potential charges for his wives.
Kody believed his legal marriage to only one woman would shield him from charges, but Utah's law defined marriage as cohabitation. Since Brown lived with his four wives as a "family unit" for 16 years, some argued that he was effectively in a common-law marriage with all of them. The district court eventually ruled the cohabitation definition unconstitutional, and the case was dismissed, limiting polygamy prosecutions primarily to situations involving child bigamy, fraud, or abuse.
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Relationships
Kody Brown is married to Meri, Janelle, Christine, and Robyn, though only his marriage to Robyn is legally recognized. His legal divorce from Meri allowed him to adopt Robyn's three children from her previous marriage, bringing the total number of his children to 18, 15 of whom are biologically his.
