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A former Golden Bachelorette star has been the victim of a catfishing scam. This is not uncommon when someone is a public figure but who did it happen to? Moreover, was there a reason they were targeted? Keep reading for more details on this crazy situation.

Golden Bachelorette Star Victim Of Catfish Scam

Catfishing scams are everywhere and they are consistently happening to various celebrities. Reality stars also suffer, one being Meri Brown of Sister Wives fame. She was catfished by a woman who was pretending to be a loving and engaging male. Unfortunately, that all came crashing down and her family plus her marriage never fully recovered. Now, one of the alums from The Golden Bachelorette is feeling the ramifications of a similar situation. They took the time to explain how they fell into this situation and how it impacted them in the long run.
Joan Vassos-YouTubeJoan Vassos- YouTube
Jonathan Rone, who was one of the fan favorites for Joan Vassos’ season, left without a rose. However, he was not jaded and did find love with Michelle Zimmermann. This was hard because it meant he would not be the next Golden Bachelor, but the two split before the new season started filming. Regardless, Jonathan always kept an open heart and mind, finding himself on a dating app, Christian Mingle. He shared this tale with former Bachelor star, Bob Guiney. Jonathan detailed how he met someone who he was struck by, who was allegedly from Ghana.


She claimed that she wanted to come to America to be with the Oakland, Iowa shipping consultant and Jonathan was elated. He shared all of this with his co-workers and wanted to make the romance a reality. Unfortunately, he soon realized that this was all a lie and he had been catfished, so he ended it. However, it seems that The Golden Bachelorette alum can laugh about the situation and is not harboring any resentment. This is great news because there are so many ladies who would love a chance.

The Moral Of The Story…

At the end of the day, the moral of the story is to not send anyone money. If they want to be with you, their love is all that matters. Moreover, no one is exempt from being catfished, not even The Golden Bachelorette mansion men. After fans and followers heard what happened to Jonathan Rone, what was the reaction? Were they shocked or did they feel extreme empathy? Fans harped on the fact he should have been The Golden Bachelor over Mel Owens:

You should have been the 2nd Golden Bachelor…not Mel!

Others were shocked that Jonathan would fall for any scam:

Whether male or female, anyone asking for money is a huge 🚩!!!
Is he that stupid to fall for that old as time scheme? Or just desperate?

Mistakes happen and Jonathan cannot be faulted for being enamored by someone who was not who he thought they were. Hopefully, he has learned his lesson and won’t make that mistake again.


Are you shocked that The Golden Bachelorette star fell for a catfishing scam? Let us know your thoughts and watch The Golden Bachelor Wednesdays on ABC.