Bethany Joy Lenz Opens Up About Losing $2 Million to a Christian Cult

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By Waqas Khan

Bethany Joy Lenz
Bethany Joy Lenz at her cover shoot for PEOPLE, Sept. 2024. PHOTO: JOHN RUSSO

Bethany Joy Lenz, known for her nine-year stint on the popular TV series “One Tree Hill,” has revealed a shocking secret: she lost nearly $2 million to a small Christian cult that she was a part of for over a decade.

In her upcoming memoir, “Dinner For Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!)”, Lenz shares her harrowing experience of being lured into the cult and eventually escaping, only to discover that her finances had been drained.

A Devastating Discovery

Lenz recounted the moment she discovered her bank account had been wiped clean. “It was really horrifying,” she told PEOPLE. “I had to start over from scratch, despite being on one of the most popular teen dramas of the early 2000s.”

Starting Over

Lenz had to rebuild her life, leaving behind her marriage, the cult, and her friends. “To leave a TV show after nine seasons, to leave all my friends that I had known for the last 10 years, to leave my marriage, to leave the state, all at the same time… and then it was just me and my baby in Hollywood, like, ‘Hire me, anyone?’ Not knowing how I was going to make rent because all the money was gone… it was legitimately incredibly difficult.”
Bethany Joy Lenz
Bethany Joy Lenz at her PEOPLE cover shoot in Sept, 2024. Photo: JOHN RUSSO

Dark Moments

Lenz admitted to breaking down in tears during her darkest moments. “I had many, many weeping-on-the-floor nights, just trying to figure out how to manage and what I was going to do and what to do with my emotions, the anger, the injustice, all those things.”

Finding Peace

Despite the initial shame and regret, Lenz now sees her experience as a valuable lesson. “First of all, I wouldn’t have my daughter. It was all worth it because of her.” Her daughter, Rosie, was born in 2011, and Lenz divorced her husband, Michael Galleoti, in 2012.

Sharing Her Story

Lenz hopes her memoir will help others who have experienced similar struggles. “It might also help people who might otherwise get into something like this, and now they know what red flags to look for.”
Bethany Joy Lenz
Dinner for Vampires, Bethany Joy Lenz’s memoir is out Oct. 22.

A New Chapter

Today, Lenz has found peace. “There are days when I feel happy. There are days when I’m grouchy and not happy and frustrated because of life… but I’m okay. I’m going to be okay.” She feels like she’s “righted herself” and is moving forward.

“Dinner For Vampires”

Lenz’s memoir, “Dinner For Vampires: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!)”, is set to release on October 22 and is available for preorder now.

Key Points:

  • Bethany Joy Lenz lost nearly $2 million to a Christian cult
  • She was part of the cult for over a decade
  • Her memoir, “Dinner For Vampires”, shares her experience
  • Lenz hopes her story will help others avoid similar struggles
  • She has found peace and is moving forward with her life

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