'Mormon Wives' Star Reveals Husband Lost Job Following Swingers Sex Scandal

The group of Mormon wives on the reality show "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" discussed the consequences of the swingers scandal that shook their close-knit community.

In 2022, Mormon MomTok, a popular TikTok group of wives and mothers, faced backlash after founding member Taylor Frankie Paul admitted on a livestream that she and her ex-husband Tate Paul engaged in "soft swinging" with some of their social media friends.

The MomTok members were bombarded with speculation about their swinging habits after Paul's revelations. The new Hulu series "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," starring Paul and other MomTok members, explores the fallout from the scandal.

The cast members shared their reactions to the controversy and its impact during an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital.

Matthews recounted his reaction to Paul's livestream, saying, "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, she's making it seem like everyone was swinging.'"

Following the revelation of the scandal, some MomTok members have denied being swingers on social media, while others have remained silent.

In "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," it will be disclosed whether Matthews and her husband, Jace, participate in swinging. The series will also showcase the husbands and partners of the MomTokers.

"If we're swingers, you'll have to wait and watch the show," she said. "But, I mean, I believe that as long as I know my identity, that's all that matters for me."

She continued, "My family members were like, 'Wait, are you swinging with Jace?' But I didn't say anything. I think it shook up the group dynamic because some people have kids in school and were saying, 'Principals at my school are saying this, and they're doing this.'"

Demi Engemann, the star of 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,' recalls new stepkids asking her about the swingers sex scandal.

Matthews stated that their personal and professional lives were not affected by the scandal initially, but they recently experienced a setback due to their participation in the reality show.

"The loss of his job due to the trailer in the show has affected me more now than any other event in our years together."

Engemann disclosed to Planet Chronicle Digital that the scandal caused her to feel uncomfortable because of personal changes in her life.

"I had recently gone through a divorce and remarriage, and I had already formed my own theories about why I got divorced. When my stepkids came home from school and told me that their friends and teachers were asking about my involvement, it was a shock to me."

The scandal had a direct impact on Engemann's stepchildren, who had to deal with the fallout of their friends thinking they were involved in the scandal and other parents being worried about the behavior happening in their home.

"My husband actually lost his job over the trailer in the show." — Mikayla Matthews

At the time, she and her husband were "very close" to Paul and her boyfriend, Dakota Mortenson, which added to the speculation that they were involved in swinging.

"We were going to hangout parties, not swinging parties, where there were no illicit activities and we had pictures with them," she stated. "Although it appeared that we were involved, we were not. We were unaware of what was happening. This caused a huge controversy on MomTok, but personally, it affected our lives as well."

During an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital, Ngatikaura stated that the scrutiny of the women's public friendships with Paul led to many of their relationships falling apart.

""It was difficult to handle accusations being thrown at you because people assumed everyone in MomTok was involved, and we were all close friends online," she explained."

"The friendship group dissipated, and the cast of the show is different from the actual MomTok group. This caused many people to distance themselves from Taylor and MomTok. As a result, I focused on maintaining the friendship and ensuring Taylor's well-being. Despite the challenges, the show portrays the ups and downs of this situation."

Some husbands became insecure about their marriages due to the scandal, as explained by Ngatikaura.

"The husbands in the group who were unaware of the swinging scandal were shocked and worried about their own relationships being affected. This led to jealousy and insecurity among them, which was shown on the show. The scandal caused a lot of relationships to be rocked, but it may have also made them stronger in the end."

Mikayla Matthews, the star of 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,' reveals that her husband lost his job after a swingers sex scandal.

Neeley clarified during her interview with Planet Chronicle Digital that she and Leavitt, the original Mormon MomTok group members with Paul and Matthews, were not involved in swinging, and thus, were not significantly impacted by the scandal.

""After a few weeks, I grew tired of the constant attention and felt like I was constantly defending myself as a swinger," she said."

The scandal caused a sharp division in their once close MomTok community, according to Neeley.

""It was almost like you had to take sides and choose who to support," she said, describing the dramatic nature of the situation."

Leavitt, like many MomTokers who also work as influencers, shared her thoughts on whether the scandal had impacted her business.

"She stated that the change did not affect her persona on social media and instead attracted a curious audience."

Several companies Taylor was working with "definitely hesitated" after the scandal erupted.

"In Utah, religion is very prominent, which is why companies are cautious about any scandal-related issues. I've noticed that a few companies have ghosted me."

Taylor remarked, "I believe everyone here is highly aware of their reputation."

Since she was not a member of MomTok at the time, Affleck stated that she was the least affected among the "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives" stars.

"I was merely an observer, not a member of MomTok. Although I had a following, I was not a part of the community. For me, it was just a little bit entertaining."

It was not surprising that Paul was the most affected by the scandal, as he announced their divorce during the same livestream where his wife revealed their involvement in a "soft swinging" group of fellow married Mormon couples.

Paul stated that the group had an agreement not to fully commit to their other partners. Nevertheless, she confessed that she broke the agreement with one of the other husbands in the group.

"I messed up, and as a result, I am losing everything I have," Paul stated.

Tate was "in shock" after revealing their swingers lifestyle on TikTok, as Paul told Planet Chronicle Digital.

Mayci Neeley, the star of "Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," discusses the group Momtok's split after a swingers sex scandal.

"When it hit the internet, everyone was in survival mode and, like, 'What's going on?'" she recalled. "Tate kind of quieted down and kind of just wanted to mind his own business."

Paul continued, "He has disconnected from social media and is now living a contented life, which makes me very happy for him."

In February 2023, Paul was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence and later charged with aggravated assault, two counts of domestic violence in the presence of a child, child abuse with injury, and criminal mischief, according to Herriman police in Salt Lake County.

In August of that year, Paul pleaded guilty to aggravated assault, and the other four charges were dismissed with prejudice.

During an interview with Planet Chronicle Digital, Paul stated that the arrest was the most difficult experience he has faced.

"Although I felt like I had learned from it, hitting rock bottom was a blessing in disguise. It helped me to go up, and I believe it saved my life in a strange way. I was just drowning in misery, but now you'll see more of that on the show."

"I think when it hit the internet, everyone was kind of in survival mode and, like, 'What's going on?'" — Taylor Frankie Paul

A group of Mormon mom influencers' scandalous world collapses when they become embroiled in an international swinging sex scandal.

Jessi Ngatikauara, star of 'Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,' reveals how the Momtok group was shaken by a swingers sex scandal.

"The sisterhood of the MomTok influencers is at risk, with faith, friendships, and reputations all hanging in the balance. Will they be able to overcome this challenge and maintain their position as the reigning queens of social media, or will they falter and lose their status?"

The scandal, in hindsight, brought MomTok members closer together, according to Taylor and Engemann.

"Who was authentic, genuine, and here for the right reasons in MomTok was quickly discovered, as well as those who genuinely wanted to see growth and health in the relationships within MomTok," she stated.

"I believe we rebuilt ourselves," Taylor stated. "I think people will be inspired by our ability to handle difficult conversations and situations."

"Engemann stated that he loves the group because we stood by each other through both good and bad times, which he believes strengthened our relationships."

On September 6, Hulu released all eight episodes of "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives."