“Bachelor in Paradise” Season 4 contestant DeMario Jackson told E! News in a segment released on Tuesday that he thinks the allegations against him were part of a “conspiracy.”
Jackson told E! during the interview airing Monday and Tuesday that being associated with an alleged sexual assault is “every man’s biggest fear. No man wants to be attached to that. That ruins you for life. That’s something that sticks with you.”
“When I have children, they are going to Google their dad’s name, and this is going to appear. That’s my biggest fear,” he continued.
Jackson was a cast member on “Paradise” until Warner Bros. announced on June 11 that it was shutting down production due to “allegations of misconduct.” Jackson and co-star Corinne Olympios indicated that they were involved in the incident in question.
Jackson told E! that he was dismayed by the public reaction to the production shutdown.
“Before either of us commented on it, I was already a ‘rapist’ … and [Corinne’s] a ‘whore’ and she’s a ‘slut,’” he said. “They were slut-shaming her because of what she did last season with Nick [Viall]. For me, it goes back to the human race. We failed.”
Jackson pointed out that he was confused to find out after leaving “Paradise” that Olympios had a boyfriend during her time on the show. Jackson also alleged that the “Paradise” producer who complained about the incident is actually friends with Olympios.
He said this makes him makes him think there is a “conspiracy — because it goes back to the very beginning when [Olympios] came up to me, hopped in my arms, led me to the pool. But now I’m realizing that I got played … not by her, but I got played in general. I am not sure by who, but I got played.”
He added that he’s not mad at Olympios but is “mad at the situation.”
In a previously released segment from the interview, Jackson said he performed oral sex on Olympios during filming. He referred to Olympios as the “aggressor.”
“Paradise” has resumed production after the studio announced last week that the results of its investigation did “not support any charge of misconduct by a cast member.” Jackson has said he will not return to dating show.
Olympios’ lawyer, Martin Singer, released a statement on June 20 criticizing Warner Bros.’ handling of the situation: “Our own investigation will continue based on multiple new witnesses coming forward revealing what they saw and heard.”