But his former girlfriend partially disputes the claim.
It is alleged that Jay Shetty plagiarised social media posts and lied about key aspects of his life while climbing the ladder to stardom.
The podcaster and author officiated the wedding of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez.
He has written the likes of Think Like a Monk: Train Your Mind for Peace and Purpose Every Day and 8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go.
But according to The Guardian, Jay falsely claimed to have spent three years in an Indian temple.
The report alleged he appeared to have falsified certain aspects of his biography, including an anecdote about how his life changed at 18 when he heard a lecture by a monk.
Jay Shetty’s CV includes a degree in behavioural science from a business school. However, The Guardian reported that the school does not offer that course.
Allegedly, his life-coaching school (Jay Shetty Certification School), charges thousands of dollars while claiming enrolment offers students “progression arrangements” with British universities — all of which deny any link to the school.
The influencer markets himself as a “Vedic monk” but does not mention that he spent years growing up in the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon).
It is a movement that attracts devotees who eschew drugs, alcohol, illicit sex and other vices as a way to reach spiritual enlightenment.
However, members of the group were once accused of child sexual assault and corporal punishment.
The report claimed Jay Shetty does not highlight this part of his upbringing while adopting a secular form of spirituality that relies on “pop psychology.”
Jay says he is a normal Brit of Indian origin who was on the verge of entering the corporate world while enrolled at business school.
But a lecture by a monk inspired him to abandon that path in favour of a strict lifestyle, living as a penniless spiritual student in India for three years.
This experience led Jay to spread the word to the masses, resulting in the formation of his empire.
But his former girlfriend partially disputes the claim.
She said that while Jay did spend the majority of those three years as a monk, he did so in Watford and only visited India occasionally.
Jay’s lawyers said his time as a monk began in May 2010 when he moved into Bhaktivedanta Manor in Watford. Three months later, he moved to India.
The legal team said: “Mr Shetty spent most of his time in India with trips back to Bhaktivedanta Manor as Mr Shetty was encouraged by his mentors at the monasteries in India to spend time serving in the community where he was raised.”
He “lived and travelled across India, the UK and Europe” during the period when he was a monk, according to his lawyers.
The report also pointed to an interview that Jay Shetty gave to an Iskcon-affiliated news site which quoted him as saying that “we can connect people across the world with Krishna consciousness, and start a revolution online” with blogs, videos, social media posts and “presentations at universities” as a way to reach “the Apple generation”.
His lawyers denied that “converting people to Krishna consciousness” was their client’s aim.
Think Like a Monk is a means for “sharing the ancient wisdom he learned as a monk in a practical, accessible, relevant, and transformational way”.
Following his Iskcon experience, Jay gained a following on Facebook and YouTube by posting self-help content.
But a lot of the content was authored by Iskcon youth who were not credited by the podcaster.
The report alleged that the Iskcon members who posted the content were not paid.
According to Jay’s lawyers: “Mr Shetty did ask and encourage friends to post, share, like, and subscribe to his content.
“Some friends assisted Mr Shetty with filming and editing.
“Mr Shetty did not make promises or represent to individuals or organisations that they would be paid for posting, sharing, liking and subscribing to his content.”