In a surprising twist to a case that gripped the nation nearly two decades ago, the woman who once accused three Duke University lacrosse players of rape has admitted that she made up the entire story. Crystal Mangum, now serving time in prison for second-degree murder, revealed during a podcast interview that the allegations she leveled in 2006 against David Evans, Collin Finnerty, and Reade Seligmann were false.
Speaking on the podcast Let’s Talk with Kat, Mangum confessed, “I made up a story that wasn’t true, and they didn’t deserve that.” She explained her motivations at the time, admitting, “I wanted validation from people, not from God, and that was wrong. God already loved me for who I was.”
The allegations, made after Mangum and another dancer were hired to perform at a party hosted by Duke lacrosse players on March 13, 2006, shook the nation. The story sparked intense debates about race, class, and gender, with many taking sides before all the facts emerged. However, the charges against the players were eventually dropped when it came to light that the district attorney, Mike Nifong, had withheld crucial evidence that could have cleared the young men much earlier. Nifong was later disbarred in 2007 for his misconduct in the case.
Now, from her prison cell at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women, Mangum has expressed deep regret for her actions. “That night, Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and Dave Evans welcomed me into their home and trusted me,” she said. “The Bible says not to harm your neighbor, and they were my brothers. I betrayed that trust.”
Mangum, 46, shared that her need for validation drove her to lie, and she hopes the former Duke players can one day forgive her. “I hurt my brothers,” she said. “I love them, and they didn’t deserve what I did to them.”
The apology, however, feels like too little, too late for Finnerty, now 38, who says the ordeal has haunted him for years. “It’s been 18 years since the incident, and it’s been hard for everyone involved,” he said in a statement to media. “I hope this time in jail makes her think about the consequences of her actions.”
Mangum’s life took a tragic turn after the Duke case. In 2013, she was convicted of second-degree murder for fatally stabbing her boyfriend, Reginald Daye, in 2011. She was sentenced to over 14 years in prison and is scheduled for release on February 27, 2026, according to North Carolina prison records.
This chapter in Mangum’s life may finally bring some closure to one of the most explosive legal dramas in recent history, but for those involved, the scars remain.
