Sister Wivesstar Kody Brown’s legal battle with his ex-wives overtheir undeveloped land, Coyote Pass,is just the tip of the iceberg with the former plural family’s money disputes. Kody married his first wife, Meri Brown, in 1990 when they were only 19 and 21 years old. They began their polygamous lifestyle when Kody spiritually married Janelle Brown in 1993, followed by Christine Brown in 1994. Though the family faced financial and emotional hardships, they remained dedicated to their lifestyle and raised thirteen children together.
Changes were on the horizon inSister Wivesseason 1 when Kody added a fourth wife, Robyn Brown. Robyn had three children from a prior marriage, and she and Kody went on to have two more. Considering Robyn was the first wife to join the family in over a decade, the Browns’ dynamic understandably shifted once she entered the picture. After years of struggling, Christine left Kody in 2021, followed by Janelle in 2022 and Meri in 2023. The family’s collapse led to a battle over Coyote Pass and accusations of money mismanagement.
Robyn’s Credit Card Debt Jeopardized The Family’s Las Vegas Dream
Her Massive Debt Was Accumulated Prior To Marrying Kody
The first sign of discord among the Browns occurred soon after Robyn joined the family.InSister Wivesseason 5, Kody’s wives were picking up the pieces after a stressful move from Utah to Las Vegas. Eager to move out of the rental homes that kept them separated, Kody and his wives thought they had found the perfect solution with four adjacent lots around a cul-de-sac. But as they began building custom homes, Robyn’s past financial habits came back to haunt her.
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Robyn owed over $30,000 in credit card debt that accumulated during her first marriage.This debt put her at risk of being denied a loan, which would shatter the family’s dream of reuniting. Robyn ultimately had to settle the debt using family funds before her loan could be approved.
While Kody and his wives were willing to make sacrifices to secure their Las Vegas homes, Robyn’s debt likely planted the first seeds of resentment.Robyn didn’t have a job, yet money was taken from the family to pay for her past mistakes.Robyn’s debt contributed tofeelings that Kody favored Robynand her needs came before the other wives.
Janelle Voiced Concerns About Trusting Robyn With The Family Estate Amid Her Marriage To Kody
Robyn’s Legal Marriage Put Her In Control Of Family Finances
As Kody’s first wife, Meri was the only woman legally married to him, but that changed duringSister Wivesseason 9.Meri agreed to divorce Kodyso he could marry Robyn and adopt her children.The decision was highly emotional for Meri, but it also drew concerns from Janelle.
Robyn’s marriage to Kody meant she would be entitled to his assets, the family’s assets.
Although the Browns considered spiritual marriage akin to legal marriage, certain undeniable rights come with being his spouse. Robyn’s marriage to Kody meant she would be entitled to his assets, the family’s assets.As the family celebrated, Janelle worried about the impact it could have on their future.
Janelle stated Robyn and Kody’s legal marriage “changes the fabric” of their family.Janelle’s relationship with Meri hadn’t always been easy, but she trusted her unequivocally to take care of the family if anything were to happen to Kody.She had a hard time placing the same amount of trust in Robyn, which is a sign Robyn didn’t always have the family’s best interest at heart.
Robyn Used Proceeds From Meri And Janelle’s Vegas Homes To Purchase Her Flagstaff Mansion
The Purchase Diverted Funds From Coyote Pass
When Kody and his wives moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, inSister Wivesseason 13, they planned to temporarily reside in rental homes until they could build on Coyote Pass.However, the rental market proved more difficult than anticipated.
They had a hard time finding suitable short-term options, and Robyn ended up having to purchase a home.
Robyn didn’t purchase any old home; she bought a 4,400-square-foot mansion. Kody and his wives knew this would drain funds the family desperately needed to put towards Coyote Pass. The down payment for Robyn’s home came from money earned from the sales of Meri and Janelle’s homes in Las Vegas, which altered the family’s financial position and delayed their timeline for building on Coyote Pass.
Robyn And Kody’s Spending Has Drawn Criticism From Their Family Members
Kody’s Money Habits Are Under Scrutiny As His Exes Seek To Recoup Their Investments
Sister Wivesseason 19documents Kody’s battles with Meri and Janelle over Coyote Pass in the aftermath of their splits.Kody refused to communicate with his exes or buy them out of their shared property, forcing them to pursue legal action.As she fought to recoup her investment, Janelle opened up about Kody’s spending habits, commenting on purchases such as his artwork collection. She suggested he likely had other debts that prevented him from paying off the land.
As the drama unfolded, Kody’s children have spoken up about his finances as well.Kody and Christine’s daughterGwendlynshared on YouTube that he and Robyn “have a terrible habit of spending very crazy and, like, not within their means at all.” In December 2024, Kody and Janelle’s daughter Madison Brush spoke on her podcast,The Authentic Society, about Kody’s preoccupation with “get-rich-quick schemes” and his failure to save money.
Kody, Janelle, and Meri’s continuing war over Coyote Pass reveals the depths of theSister Wivesstars’ financial entanglement. Kody took control of his family’s money and doled it out as he saw fit, which worked out fine during his marriages. But once the marriages ended, his ex-wives faced the stark reality that they had no assets of their own after decades of hard work. Kody’s mishandling of the family’s finances was brought to light in the fight for Coyote Pass, but the seeds were planted decades earlier.
