Lil Tay’s former manager has claimed that her fake death was her brother’s doing, and there was an “alternative motive” behind the stunt.
The deaths of the 14-year-old viral star and her brother, Jason Tian, were announced on her Instagram page on Wednesday (August 9).
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However, the news was quickly debunked on Thursday (August 10) when Tay issued a statement confirming that she and her brother were actually alive, while also blaming the announcement on her account being hacked.
Now, her former manager Harry Tsang has suggested that Lil Tay’s brother was behind the whole thing.
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“Upon learning about Lil Tay’s assertion of her well-being, I find relief in the fact that she is safe,” he told The Mirror. “However, I believe the reported hacking incident may not have occurred.
“My rationale for this perspective is twofold: firstly, the restoration of a compromised account on platforms like Meta/Instagram typically does not necessitate a 24-hour timeframe.”
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He continued: “Secondly, the actions of Lil Tay’s brother, renowned for his propensity for extreme measures, lead me to hypothesize an alternative motive behind this occurrence. Simultaneously, if the underlying motive is indeed to rekindle Lil Tay’s prominence within the public sphere, I contend that such actions demonstrate a certain degree of irresponsibility.
“It’s essential to consider the potential repercussions of employing such tactics, particularly given their potential impact on the perceptions and sentiments of the broader audience.”
Lil Tay revealed she was “completely heartbroken” about the fake news of her death, blaming it on her account being “compromised by a 3rd party.”
“I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I’m completely heartbroken, and struggling to even find the right words to say,” she told TMZ.
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“It’s been a very traumatizing 24 hours. All day yesterday, I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful phone calls from loved ones all while trying to sort out this mess.”
She continued: “My Instagram account was compromised by a 3rd party and used to spread jarring misinformation and rumors regarding me, to the point that even my name was wrong. My legal name is Tay Tian, not ‘Claire Hope’.”
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Before her statement, doubt had been cast on Lil Tay’s purported death after police said they had yet to be made aware of the tragedy, while several members of her family and inner-circle declined to comment.
“I have been in communication with individuals who have an intimate understanding of the family’s situation,” Harry Tsang previously told The Daily Beast.
“Given the complexities of the current circumstances, I am at a point where I cannot definitively confirm or dismiss the legitimacy of the statement issued by the family.”
