In a recent episode of the popular online show Catfished, a woman named Jerleesa revealed that she believed she was in an online relationship with rapper Kevin Gates, only to find out it was a celebrity romance scam, XXL reports. According to Jerleesa, she had been corresponding with someone she believed to be Kevin Gates for a year after he reached out to her on social media. She claimed to have sent the imposter thousands of dollars, thinking it was necessary for him to stay out of jail.

“I've probably given him maybe $5,000-$6,000,” she confessed on the episode.

Catfished investigators discovered that Jerleesa had fallen victim to a scam perpetrated by an individual in Philadelphia, not the real Kevin Gates. Upon learning the truth, Jerleesa expressed disappointment, stating, “It sucks, but I figured after a while that's what it was.”

YouTube comments on the episode were critical of Jerleesa, with one suggesting she may need counseling or to join a club. Others questioned how she ended up getting bullied into sending money to someone she never met in real life.

This incident adds to the list of celebrity romance scams, where scammers impersonate famous personalities to exploit unsuspecting victims. Last July, rapper Bow Wow faced a similar situation when a child rapper sued him for allegedly not delivering a paid feature verse. Bow Wow responded saying a scammer more than likely catfished the artist.

This Kevin Gates Catfished episode sheds light on the dangers of online relationships and the prevalence of scams targeting individuals who believe they are interacting with celebrities.