Online Romance and Trust
In 2017, TikToker Nessa (@imsimplynessa), then about 22 or 23, traveled to London to meet a fellow content creator she had been talking to online. He lived in Europe and they arranged an in-person meeting despite the distance.
The Meeting and Relationship Development
Soon after they met, he urged her to block another female creator if she ever contacted her. Unbeknownst to him, Nessa already knew that woman; they had met in Los Angeles the year before.
The two made their relationship official after the trip. A few months later, responding to fans’ interest, he flew to visit her in the United States.
During His Visit
Nessa’s family was staying with her during part of his visit. Although he said he didn’t mind staying with them, he spent much of the time locked in a bathroom, which made Nessa suspect he was communicating with someone else.
Between visits he rarely replied to her messages, though he would occasionally reassure her that everything was fine. Once her family left, the remainder of his stay reportedly went smoothly.
The Confrontation and Breakup
At a cousin’s party, he called and lou...