The former Bachelor star welcomed daughter River with Natalie Joy in February 2024
Published on September 12, 2024 07:25PM EDT
Nick Viall and Bunny Hedaya. Photo:Frazer Harrison/Getty; Jon Kopaloff/Getty
Bunny Hedaya is addressing accusations that she exploits her son following comments made about her on Nick Viall's podcast, The Viall Files.
During the episode, Viall, 43, criticized Hedaya, who shares aspects of her life online, for allegedly exploiting her child for "clout" after she posted a video of her son expressing enjoyment of space.
In December 2023, Hedaya was also in the spotlight after comedian Matt Rife falsely accused her of creating an OnlyFans account to pay for her then-6-year-old son's Christmas presents.
Nick Viall attends 2023 Variety's Women Of Reality TV at Spago on November 29, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.Monica Schipper/Getty
After Viall's podcast episode aired, Hedaya posted a TikTok video, which has since garnered 4 million views and 4,000 comments, expressing her shock at his comments.
In response, she accused the former Bachelor of exploiting his daughter River — whom he welcomed with Natalie Joy in February 2024 — by sharing an image of them together in a brand deal.
"I never made money off that video," the mom says in her TikTok. "My son makes money off of my account. I send him payroll; he has his own savings account that I cannot touch. He has his own fidelity account. He has his own VOO. He has his own Roth IRA. All of which have thousands of dollars in them for when he's older that I am not allowed to touch."
"So you make [an ad] right after your child's born," she continues. "I post one video and I'm the one exploiting him?"
PEOPLE has reached out to Viall for a comment.
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Hedaya goes on to share a screenshot of her son's bank account and the weekly paychecks she sends to him, along with his stock market investments, all under his name.
"I think all parents that show their children online, whether it's a lot or a little, need to pay their children in an account that they cannot touch," she continues. "So what I am here to say, Nick Viall, I need you to post proof that you have opened an account for your child ... and this needs to be backdated before this video."
"If you cannot, I think I deserve a very loud public apology," she adds. "This video that he made sent me so much hate and so many horrible things saying horrible things about me and the way that I parent and the mother that I am."
