Ariel Winter’s Sister — Money isn’t the Motive … Because She’s Loaded

EXCLUSIVE

Ariel Winter‘s sister may have declared bankruptcy more than a decade ago, but her fortunes have changed dramatically …. as in there is no way in the world she needs Ariel’s money … TMZ has learned.

Shanelle Gray is married to David Barry Gray … who is an heir to the Pepsi fortune. His grandfather was one of the founding members of Pepsi Cola.

David’s grandfather, Philip Rubenstein, owned 23 of the original Pepsi plants and, with the help of a guy named Al Steele, took the company nationwide.  Rubenstein served as the President of Pepsi Cola in the 1950s and amassed a fortune.

As for what happens to the untold millions of dollars … Rubenstein died in 1997 and was survived by his wife, 2 daughters and 6 grandchildren, one of whom is David.   Rubenstein’s wife died in 1998.  Short story — David — an actor who played the role of Todd Palin in the Emmy-winning HBO movie “Game Change” — is in line to inherit a big chunk of the family money.

Family dough aside, Shanelle and David are doing well with their 2 acting businesses  — Gray Studios in L.A. and Gray Studios in Orange County.  The business is so successful, it’s expanding to NYC next year.

And Shanelle — who gave up a fairly successful acting career to raise their 2 daughters — is now back in the acting game and getting gigs.

Short story — it seems Chrystal Workman, the mother of Ariel and Shanelle — doesn’t know much about her older daughter, who was taken away from her years ago and placed in foster care.  It would seem she has no idea Shanelle is more financially secure than the entire cast of “Modern Family.”