In the latest twist on The Bachelorette, Devin Strader has found himself at the center of controversy. Allegations have surfaced suggesting that Strader reached out to a friend of Ashley Iaconetti’s on social media prior to the show’s dramatic season finale.
On the September 4 episode of the Almost Famous podcast, Ashley Iaconetti revealed to co-host Ben Higgins that Strader had reportedly sent direct messages to one of her friends. According to Ashley, the friend, who is not affiliated with Bachelor Nation but had been a fan of Strader, received an unsolicited message from him.
“This girl followed him because she admired his personality on the show,” Ashley explained. “Then he slid into her DMs.”
The allegations come on the heels of a shocking revelation during the season finale of The Bachelorette, which aired on September 3. During the episode, Jenn Tran and Devin Strader disclosed their breakup following their engagement in Hawaii. Jenn discussed the disintegration of their relationship on the After the Final Rose special, describing how Devin’s demeanor changed abruptly after their trip.
“After we left Hawaii, things were different,” Jenn told host Jesse Palmer. “It felt like he was retracting all the promises he made — about moving in together, planning a future, and spending time together.”
Jenn recounted how Devin’s communication dwindled, leaving her feeling perplexed and abandoned. “He called me one night and ended the engagement, saying he no longer loved me and regretted proposing,” she said.
The drama intensified when Jenn revealed another startling detail. She claimed that, following their split, Devin began following Maria Georgas on Instagram, a move she deemed disrespectful. “Ending the engagement over the phone and then seeing you follow someone else the next day — it completely invalidated everything we shared,” Jenn expressed during the episode.
These revelations add a new layer of intrigue to an already tumultuous season, highlighting the personal and public challenges faced by the participants.