72-Year-Old Don McLean Is Dating The 24-Year-Old Model Who Was The Center Of An Elaborate Catfishing Scheme
We begin with 72-year-old singer Don McLean, famous for the folk rock hit American Pie that was beloved from the years 1971 until 2000 when it was ruined by Madonna. Don McLean is currently doing what many an aging rock star has done before him: The Blast says he’s dating someone in their 20s. But Don’s 24-year-old girlfriend Paris Dylan is famous in her own right. Now that I think about it, there’s probably a good number of millennials that will read this story and go “Wait, who is Paris Dylan dating?”
In case you don’t know the story, in 2012, former Denver Nuggets player Chris “Birdman” Andersen (then 33) found himself in a whole lot of trouble after property was seized from his home by the Colorado Sheriff’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children. Many speculated he was being investigated for possible activity involving a minor. The minor in question was Paris Dylan (aka Paris Dunn), a 17-year-old girl who was allegedly corresponding with Chris. After sending multiple messages and photos – and even meeting each other in person – it turned out that both Paris and Chris were being catfished in an elaborate scheme cooked up by a 29-year-old Canadian woman named Shelly Chartier.
Eventually the jig was up when Shelly (posing as Chris) released nude photos of an underage Paris, then contacted Chris (posing then as Paris’ mother) and demanded $3000. Shelly faced multiple charges, including: possession and transmitting of child pornography, impersonation, extortion, and making threats, and spent 18 months in prison. Chris wasn’t charged with any crimes. Paris’ catfishing story made it to 20/20, and later to MTV’s Catfish, which is really the next logical step in a catfishing scam.
And that brings us to today, where Paris the Catfish Victim is now a 24-year-old woman dating the 72-year-old singer of that song her grandparents know all the words to when it comes on Klassic 98.7 FM. The Blast says that Paris and Don tried to keep their relationship on the down low for a while, but not anymore. She recently accompanied him on a trip to the UK.
Here’s an awkward transition: two years ago Don McLean was arrested on a domestic violence charge in Maine. He got divorced from his second wife not long after. It’s not known how Paris and Dan met or got together, but this seems like Paris might be in another potential not-great relationship. Of all the single 72-year-old classic rock singers, she chose Don McLean. Was Van Morrison not interested? Paris, call him up, it’s probably not too late.
Pic: Wenn.com