Who is Paris Roxanne?

Paris Dunn was born on 21 February 1994, in Riverside, California, USA, and is a social media personality, but best known for rising to fame in 2011 after becoming involved in a catfishing scandal that nearly destroyed the career of then NBA-player Chris Andersen. The scheme turned out to be an international investigation to find the culprit.

The Net Worth of Paris Roxanne

As of early-2020, Paris Roxanne’s net worth is estimated to be over $1 million, earned through success in her various endeavors. She later found further fame through social media, which opened opportunities for her to work as a model.

She also probably benefits from the success of her current partner, singer Don McLean, who has a net worth estimated to be over $50 million.

Early Life and Chris Andersen

Paris grew up in Southern California and lived a life relatively out of the spotlight. At a young age she aspired to become a model, and set up various online accounts showcasing her attractive qualities especially her looks. She gained a small following online but things changed when she was suddenly contacted by National Basketball Association (NBA) player, Chris Anderson.

Chris Andersen, also known as the Birdman, found fame playing in the NBA for teams such as the Denver Nuggets, at the time the two met online. Andersen was noted for his career resurgence, rising from issues with drugs to finding himself a part of several high profile teams including the Miami Heat with which he would win a championship. Other teams he played with include the Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Hornets. After retiring from the NBA, he found more work as a player in The Big 3 League.

The Catfish Scheme

Surprised that a celebrity was contacting her, Roxanne immediately began chatting with Andersen.

They exchanged messages back and forth and she lied about her age, claiming that she was already 21 even though she was only 17 at the time. She was also contacted online by someone claiming to be Andersen’s best friend named Tom Taylor, who urged that the two should meet up. Eventually her conversations with Andersen escalated and the two began exchanging more private content, sending each other nude photos. The two planned to meet up, and Taylor also encouraged her to travel to him so that they could hang out.

The date eventually arrived and the two had sex though there were times that she was confused about some of their conversations.

The basketball player seemed to talk about people and events that she couldn’t recall, but just brushed it off as some eccentricity. Following her return home, she got messages from Taylor and she told him that she was probably not interested in meeting with Andersen anymore as another basketball player was contacting her and she was interested in meeting him.

The Investigation

Taylor began messaging Paris with increasing frustration, desperation and anger, sending her death threats and suddenly came off aggressive. According to him, he had a copy of her nude photos that Andersen shared with him, and that he was going to expose her to the internet. Fearing for her life, she told her mother and the two approached the police with the information they had.

On Andersen’s end, he began getting messages about someone claiming to be Paris’ mother who informed him that she was underage and that they were going to the authorities to report him. The player sent the message to his lawyer who quickly stood up against the extortion. Despite that, Andersen sent her around $3000 in hopes of keeping things quiet. Eventually, with the information Paris had sent to the police, an investigation was underway and a search of the player’s home revealed that he didn’t know anyone named Tom Taylor. Police then traced their phones and discovered that they weren’t talking to one another, but their messages were being filtered through another person living in Canada, the one pretending to be Tom and pretending to be Paris’ mom.

Arrest and Conviction

While Andersen didn’t have any problem with their sexual encounter as she was of legal consent age in Colorado, the photos he had of her might be construed as a form of child pornography. With investigations, things were tense because if judgment were to be put on him, it would mean the end of his NBA career. Police eventually ruled him out as a conspirator or a suspect, but also as a victim in the case.

The police discovered the true culprit in Manitoba, Canada; a woman named Shelly Chartier. She was a social outcast living with a bedridden mother, and only had a computer with internet for her entertainment.

She discovered how to catfish a few years back, pretending to be several personalities online such as a YouTuber, reality star Brody Jenner, and a Playboy Playmate. Because the US law enforcement didn’t have jurisdiction there, she was arrested by Canadian police, and spent a year in prison in Canada.

The following events proved unusual, as she seemed to have become reformed after her stint in prison, regretting her actions of catfishing. She also found a husband from New York who visits her frequently though he cannot stay for long as he isn’t a Canadian citizen. She also can’t visit the US as she would be tried for extortion if she sets foot in the country, leading to a possible 25 years in prison.

Paris Roxanne Today

After a few years away from the spotlight, Roxanne finally fulfilled her dream of becoming a social media personality. The fame she got with her case with Andersen helped her career significantly. Their story was even featured on shows such as “Catfish” and “20/20”. In recent years, she gained attention once more, as she started a relationship with the singer Don McLean. The relationship was noted for their large age gap, with McLean being over 70 years old while she is still in her 20s. Before becoming partners, he was married twice and has two children from his second marriage.