Austin McBroom and Catherine Paiz, the faces behind The ACE Family, seemed to have it all: three adorable children, a sprawling Los Angeles mansion, and 18 million subscribers hanging on their every vlog. But behind the curated pranks and family challenges, a quieter unraveling was taking place. In her 2025 memoir, DOLORES: My Journey Home—Part One, Catherine Paiz lays bare the betrayal that fractured their marriage, accusing Austin of infidelity.
“It wasn’t just the betrayal,”
she writes.
“It was the realization that I had been living inside a lie.”
Austin, now 32, has not stayed silent. In a series of social media posts, he admits to cheating but paints a more complex picture, alleging Catherine’s deep dive into spiritual practices—particularly ayahuasca—created an unbridgeable chasm between them. Their public feud, unfolding across X and Instagram, has captivated fans and critics alike, exposing the raw underbelly of influencer life.
Catherine’s memoir, set for release on July 1, 2025, is a raw excavation of her pain. She recounts a moment at a Staples Center event, pregnant with their third child, Steel, when a family member confirmed Austin had invited another woman.
“I discovered there were others: so many girls, so many betrayals,”
she writes, describing the shame that kept her silent.
“I couldn’t call my mom. I was too humiliated.”
For years, Catherine, 34, stood by Austin as rumors swirled. Influencers like Tana Mongeau and Jake Paul had long accused him of infidelity, but she dismissed them as “anxiety-inducing” gossip. Now, her book marks a turning point, a reclaiming of her narrative after a decade of projecting perfection. Fans have rallied around her, with X posts likening her to Nicole Kidman post-divorce, celebrating her “newfound freedom.”
Austin’s response, however, shifts the lens. He admits to stepping outside their marriage but insists Catherine knew and that they stayed together for years afterward. More strikingly, he claims her spiritual journey drove a wedge between them. He describes Catherine hosting ayahuasca ceremonies at their home, a psychoactive brew from Amazonian traditions that can induce vivid hallucinations. During one session, he alleges, she declared herself the Virgin Mary and refused intimacy for a year, telling him to “do whatever” discreetly.
Ayahuasca, often used in guided spiritual retreats, is a potent substance requiring trained facilitators due to its physical and psychological risks. Austin’s claim that Catherine hosted “unlicensed” ceremonies around their children has raised eyebrows, though no evidence supports this. On X, users like @anviiitaa have called his accusations a deflection, suggesting he’s
“making her look crazy”
to dodge accountability.
The couple’s story is not just about infidelity or spiritual divergence—it’s about the pressure of living under a microscope. Since 2016, The ACE Family built a brand on authenticity, inviting millions into their home. But controversies dogged them: lawsuits over failed business ventures, a poorly received 2022 festival dubbed “Disneyland meets Coachella,” and 2019 allegations of sexual assault against Austin, which he denied.
A post from X.
Their 2024 divorce, announced as “amicable,” was anything but. Austin’s post-split antics—living in an RV outside Catherine’s home and posting cryptic Snapchats—drew criticism as “cringey.” Catherine, meanwhile, has hinted at a new relationship, posting with an unidentified man in May 2025.
At the heart of this saga are Elle, Alaïa, and Steel, now navigating their parents’ public fallout. Austin’s claims about ayahuasca ceremonies have sparked concern about the children’s safety, though unverified. Catherine, in her memoir, emphasizes shielding them from her pain, writing,
“I had spent years prioritizing my children… all the while losing myself.”
Fans worry about the toll of this spectacle.
“The kids don’t deserve this,”
one X user wrote, echoing a sentiment that the couple’s transparency, once their strength, now risks overshadowing their co-parenting duties.
