Fans Have Branded One Catfish Episode More Disturbing Than All The Rest
This article contains allegations and discussion of child abuse.
MTV's "Catfish" has had its fair share of outrageous stories. Over the years we've seen revenge plots, a man who genuinely believed he was dating Katy Perry, DNA tests, and so much more. However, the "Paul & Caitea" episode from Season 8 is one of the most infamous. During it, "Catfish" host Nev Schulman even admitted that it was the craziest case he'd ever seen.
"Paul & Caitea" starts with Paul's fiancé Samantha reaching out to the show. She was concerned that he couldn't move on from his first love, Caitea, a woman Paul had met online years prior when he was still a teenager. Paul, Samantha, Schulman, and co-host Kamie Crawford soon discovered that Caitea wasn't real. Paul was another victim of an online dating scam.
They contacted a woman named Katy upon discovering that her photos and persona had been used to catfish Paul. She later revealed that the Caitea profile was run by her mother, Martha. Katy only found out shortly before her "Catfish" appearance. Martha additionally sent Paul her daughter's nude photos, without her consent. Understandably, viewers were outraged.
Catfish fans want legal action taken against Martha
"Paul & Caitea" is a hot topic among "Catfish" fans, accumulating multiple Reddit posts on the show's active subreddit. Users shared their outrage and tried to get clarification on details from the wild story. Many even want Martha to face prison time. Despite Paul only being in his teens at the time of their relationship, the age of consent in Michigan, where Paul was based, is 16. Therefore, Martha didn't technically commit a crime by having a relationship with him.
One Reddit user felt that at the very least Martha should register as a sex offender for her actions. Additionally, another "Catfish" fan pointed to a similar situation from Philadelphia. According to Justice.gov, a woman received a 35-year prison sentence and over $15,000 in fines because she coerced a minor into sending sexual videos of himself to her. She also, similarly, used her daughter's photos to catfish him. Some fans believed that Martha should receive the same fate.
On Instagram, "Catfish" watchers have also shared their disappointment in the show's reaction to the situation. One user argued that if Martha had been a man, it would have been less forgiving.
Someone claiming to be Katy revealed more disturbing details
A Reddit user going by Katy_77 claimed to be Katy from "Paul & Caitea," Martha's daughter. She made a post going into more detail about the situation after confirming her identity with the moderators of the "Catfish" subreddit. Katy_77 shared a photo of herself holding up her username but likely provided more evidence to them privately too.
In her initial Reddit post, she offered some more context about the situation and answered fans' biggest lingering questions, including how her mom was able to obtain photos of her while she was sleeping and how Martha's actions still affect her. Katy_77 occasionally returns to the "Catfish" subreddit to answer more questions and give more details.
Among the most shocking revelations include her not being over 18 in all the photos her mother sent to boys. Additionally, Katy_77 revealed that Martha had catfished many teen boys, some of them international. Therefore, because of the different ages of consent and statute of limitations laws, legal action could be taken against Martha someday.
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.