Kate Gosselin's Sis-in-Law: Money is Kate's Priority

That is just one of the many blockbusting details that Kate ' s brother and sister-in-law Kevin and "Aunt " Jodi Kreider reveal in their world exclusive interview with Star.

In the May 25 issue, on sale now, Kevin and Jodi reveal how the TV mom of twins and sextuplets spends months away from home promoting her two books (one more, a cookbook, is due in October) and loading up on speaking engagements, for which she commands $3,000 an hour. She also charges fans $150 per person for special meet-and-greet tea parties and even makes fans pay $20 for autographs!

Note to Kate: The biggest stars in the world - including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie - don't charge for autographs.

It's Kate's lust for the big bucks that led to Kevin and fan favorite Jodi's sudden disappearance from the series after season three, they say. When Kate found out that TLC had offered Jodi and Kevin compensation for their appearances on the show, she freaked out and said no one else should be paid for appearing on the show but them, her brother tells Star

"Her reasoning for pushing me and Jodi away was because the more people you split it up between, the less there is!" Adds Jodi, "It has turned into a huge moneymaking machine...and the money has become priority No. 1 with Kate."

So much so, says Kevin, that she has an iron grip on the family finances - with precious little trickling down to Jon.

"He told me he had to empty his 401K to survive!"