Former exotic dancer whose allegations of rape against three Duke University lacrosse players in 2006 sparked a national controversy, Crystal Mangum, has admitted to fabricating the story.
In a candid interview on the web show Let’s Talk with Kat, hosted by Katerena DePasquale, Mangum spoke from the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, where she is serving time for a 2013 second-degree murder conviction involving her boyfriend’s death.
“I testified falsely against them by saying that they raped me when they didn’t, and that was wrong,” Mangum confessed. “I betrayed the trust of a lot of other people who believed in me.”
The three players—Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and David Evans—were arrested after Mangum accused them of sexual assault during a party in 2006.
The accusations led to the cancellation of Duke’s lacrosse season, the resignation of head coach Mike Pressler, and widespread media scrutiny.
Reflecting on her actions, Mangum revealed her motivation for the false claims. “I made up a story that wasn’t true because I wanted validation from people and not from God,” she said. Expressing remorse, she added, “They didn’t deserve what I put them through.”
Mangum also extended an emotional plea for forgiveness. “I want them to know that I love them, and they didn’t deserve that, and I hope that they can forgive me,” she said.
Her admission comes nearly 20 years after the incident, which resulted in the disbarment of the case’s lead prosecutor and his conviction for criminal contempt.
In 2007, then-Attorney General Roy Cooper, now the governor of North Carolina, reviewed the evidence and exonerated the players, calling them “innocent” and stating that charges should never have been filed.
The state attorney general’s office determined that there was no credible evidence to support claims that an assault took place. Its investigation revealed a lack of DNA, witness accounts, or any other proof to substantiate Mangum’s allegations.
A spokesperson for Gov. Roy Cooper, who served as attorney general at the time, stated, “As Attorney General, the governor assumed control of the case from the local prosecutor, carried out a comprehensive reinvestigation to uncover the truth, dismissed the charges, and publicly affirmed the players’ innocence regarding the alleged crimes.”
Duke University and the players reached a confidential settlement after the case was dismissed, and the city of Durham later settled a separate lawsuit with the players in 2014, agreeing to pay $50,000 to the North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission.
When contacted, Duke Athletics declined to comment on the recent revelations. The university, its former president, and the lacrosse team’s head coach at the time have also remained silent.
There has been no public response from the exonerated players.
