Crystal Mangum, the woman behind the 2006 Duke University lacrosse scandal that captivated national attention, has admitted for the first time that her accusations against three players were false.
In an interview on the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast, Mangum revealed she fabricated the claims of rape, which stirred debates about race, privilege, and justice.
Mangum, now 46 and serving time for a separate crime, stated, “I made up a story that wasn’t true… because I wanted validation from people and not from God.” She went on to confess, “I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t, and that was wrong.” The interview, recorded at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women and released Monday, marks the first time Mangum has taken full accountability for her actions.
The 2006 allegations accused three white Duke lacrosse players of assaulting Mangum, who was hired as a stripper for a party. The case drew intense media scrutiny, inflaming discussions about race and privilege. However, by 2007, the North Carolina attorney general declared the players innocent, citing a lack of credible evidence. Investigators found no DNA, witness accounts, or other proof to support Mangum’s claims. The prosecutor who pursued the case, Mike Nifong, was disbarred for misconduct and lying to the court. Despite the upheaval her accusations caused, Mangum was not charged for making false allegations.
In the podcast, Mangum expressed remorse and sought forgiveness from the three men she accused. “I want them to know that I love them, and they didn’t deserve that,” she said. Kat DePasquale, the podcast’s host, shared that Mangum responded to her initial outreach with a willingness to share her story.
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