Don McLean’s girlfriend Paris Dylan turned heads after the couple was seen out together last week, but not just for being 48 years his junior.
Dylan, a 24-year-old who touts herself as an Instagram model, may also be recognized as a woman involved in one of the most notorious catfishing scandals of all time.
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In 2011, Paris Dunn, who also goes by Paris Dylan or Paris Roxanne, was only 17 years old when she began corresponding with then 33-year-old NBA baller Chris “Birdman” Andersen.
The couple formed a relationship online, where they exchanged messages and NSFW photos, then they met up in person in Denver. But weeks into dating, the pair did not realize that they were both being scammed by a Canadian woman named Shelly Chartier.
Chartier developed an elaborate plan to dupe Dylan and Andersen, making sure that any messages they exchanged came and went through her. The couple never actually spoke to one another directly.
Her plan was discovered only after Chartier, posing as Andersen, leaked nude photos of a then-underage Dylan. She then contacted the NBA player while pretending to be Dylan’s mother and extorted him out of $3,000.
Once her scheme was uncovered, Chartier was arrested and pled guilty in 2015 to seven counts of fraud and other crimes. She was sentences to 18 months in prison.
Dylan also appeared on an episode of MTV‘s Catfish in 2017, where hosts Nev and Max tracked down Chartier, who had been released from prison.
At the time, Dylan said she was “really scared” following her catfish culprit’s release and she was afraid Chartier would scam others online.
Now, Dylan has linked herself to 72-year-old Don McLean, though the legendary rocker has not confirmed that their relationship is romantic.
The pair have been linked since McLean first appeared on Dylan’s Instagram profile in November 2016, when she wrote, “I’m truly thankful for him. Happy Thanksgiving from Don and I.”
The “American Pie” singer has recently been traveling through the U.K. and Ireland to promote his spring tour, and the model has appeared by his side throughout the trips. Dylan shared several photos from television and radio studios in Manchester last week on social media of herself and McLean.
Dylan is the first woman McLean has been linked to since his split from Patrisha Shnier, his wife of 29 years, in 2016. In January of that year, he was arrested and charged with domestic assault for an incident with Shnier. He pleaded guilty, although his lawyer said McLean never physically assaulted Shnier.
The domestic assault charge was dropped in July 2017 after McLean met certain conditions. He avoided running into trouble for a year and paid a $3,000 fine related to three other charges that will stay on his record, reports the Associated Press. His divorce from Shnier was finalized in March 2017.
McLean was previously married to Carol McLean from 1969 to 1972.
