Married at First Sight New Zealand star Benjamin Blackwell made explosive allegations about Love Island Australia 2021 star Ari Kumar on Wednesday.
Now his MAFS alumni and best friend Samuel Levi has addressed the claims he made.
Samuel told So Dramatic! exclusively on Wednesday that he had met Ari through Benjamin and confirmed they did live together.
“I know Ari, she used to live with Ben,” Samuel said. “Me and Ben were really good friends back home [in Auckland, New Zealand] and she was always at the home so we hung out a few times. I did not expect to see her face pop up on television. Crazy!
“From memory, yes, she owed my friend Ben and the household a lot of money. Not to mention there were also many other odd things that were constantly going on with her. I was at Ben’s house almost every week, we were basically neighbours, lived in the same suburb.
“I’m shocked and disappointed that producers and networks are still not going correct checks in general on all contestants going on television today. That includes mental and background checks.
Samuel also said that Ari sent him a selfie of the pair back in 2018 when he was on MAFS, but he only just saw it when he clicked on her profile after seeing her on Love Island.
“I couldn’t believe she was on TV, so I went to her profile to make sure it was her and I found a photo of us that she had sent me when my season of MAFS was airing. But I didn’t even check it until now so it had gone to my message requests so I never saw it until. Awkward!”
Benjamin and Samuel became close friends after both graduating from the school of MAFS New Zealand. Ben even attended Samuel’s on-screen wedding in 2018.
Coincidently, Ari also attended Benjamin’s on-screen wedding in 2017.
What Did Benjamin Blackwell Accuse Ari Kumar of?
Benjamin, who appeared in the 2017 season of Married at First Sight New Zealand, made a damning post in a Facebook group on Wednesday that contained serious allegations against Ari.
According to the post, Ari used to live with him in Auckland and even appeared on MAFS as a friend.
“Omfg. Okay breaking my Facebook hiatus because I have to share this with you guys,” he wrote. “Ari used to live with me in Auckland (Appeared on MAFS NZ as a friend even), she fled to Australia, owes me and my old housemate a lot of $$ and the NZ police came to our house with an arrest warrant two days after we kicked her out. [sic]”
He added: “She now lives on the Gold Coast and ya girl is debuting on Love Island. I won’t say what the arrest warrant was for but it would shake you guys to the core. Don’t think she’s stepped foot in NZ after leaving.”
One person in the group then asked him what the alleged crime was in relation to and he refused to say. However, when asked what the crime rhymed with, he said: “high level deft.”
He then clarified and said it was “CC deft.”
Ben added: “I don’t have her on Instagram (blocked) someone comment and be like: “Have you been back to NZ since you left? Did @NZPolice catch up with you?”
Another person said that the comments on her page had been turned off.
These are all allegations from Benjamin.
So Dramatic! has contacted Benjamin Blackwell and Love Island Australia for comment in relation to the claims.
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