Former NBA Star Matt Barnes refutes online rumor about $61,000 AI dating app extortion

Former NBA player Matt Barnes has spoken out against a viral online rumor that claimed he was extorted out of $61,000 by an artificial intelligence model on a dating app. The rumor spread widely on social media and blogs before Barnes addressed it directly.

Barnes denied the claim in a video posted on his Instagram account on Monday, Dec. 8. In the video, he made it clear that the story was false and said he was frustrated by how fast the rumor spread. He also shared that he has been dealing with serious personal matters in 2025.

The former basketball player said that while many things have happened in his life recently, losing money to a fake online romance was not one of them. He questioned how such a story could be created and shared without any proof.

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Matt Barnes directly addresses the false claim

Matt Barnes started his video by reflecting on the challenges he faced over the year. He said he had been through both positive and negative moments. However, he shut down the idea that he paid money to someone who did not exist.

“Paying a woman that never existed $61,000 was not one of my low points,” Barnes said in the video.

He also listed some of the rumors that have been attached to his name over time. These included claims about his personal life and recent travel. Barnes said the AI scam story was one of the most confusing rumors he had seen.

“Where the f— did you guys get this from? For real. Seriously,” he asked during the video.

Barnes also criticized smaller blogs for repeating the claim without checking the facts. He said some platforms only care about views and attention. He added that people should not believe everything they see online.

“Y’all can’t believe everything you hear,” Barnes told his followers.

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Gilbert Arenas’ podcast mention sparks more attention

Matt Barnes explained that the rumor gained more attention after former NBA player Gilbert Arenas mentioned it on his podcast. Barnes and Arenas have a long personal and professional connection. They both played for the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies. Their families are also connected through marriage.

Barnes said he spoke to Arenas directly after the podcast mention. He explained that Arenas did not know the story was false at the time.

“He addressed the bulls— and from there it caught fire,” Barnes said.

Barnes shared that he told Arenas to reach out before discussing him publicly. He said Arenas later apologized for not checking first.

“I told him, ‘Bro, after all we been through, tap in with me and see if it’s real,’” Barnes said.

Barnes also explained how hard it can be to stop false stories once they gain attention online. Even when corrected, misinformation often continues to spread across platforms.

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Matt Barnes responds while dealing with personal struggles

During the video, Matt Barnes paused to smoke before continuing his message. He said the rumor was spreading while he was handling serious real-life problems. He did not share full details but made it clear that the timing of the rumor was upsetting.

“I been dealing with some real s— while y’all been lying,” he said.

Matt Barnes also addressed the motivation behind the fake story. He suggested that when people cannot attack someone with facts, they turn to lies.

“When the hate don’t work, they gotta start lying,” Barnes said.

Despite his anger, he ended the video on a hopeful note. He asked his followers to stay positive and focus on the future.

“Stay blessed 2026, we coming,” he said at the end of the clip.

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