In a shocking confession, Crystal Mangum, the woman who falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her nearly 20 years ago, has admitted that her claims were fabricated.

The former exotic dancer made the admission during a December 11 podcast appearance on Let’s Talk with Kat, hosted by Katerena DePasquale. Mangum, who is currently serving a prison sentence for the second-degree murder of her then-boyfriend, publicly acknowledged her wrongful accusations and asked for forgiveness from the players involved.

Mangum’s false rape allegations date back to 2006, when she claimed she was assaulted at a Duke lacrosse team party. At the time, she accused three players—Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty, and David Evans—of raping her in a bathroom.

Mangum’s statement sparked a firestorm, leading to charges against the players. However, no DNA evidence linked the players to the crime, and their names were ultimately cleared. Mangum’s case collapsed after a thorough investigation revealed her account was fabricated.

During the podcast interview, recorded at the North Carolina Correctional Institution for Women on November 13, Mangum expressed regret for her actions. “I made up a story that wasn’t true because I wanted validation from people and not from God,” Mangum said.

She reflected on her behavior, admitting she had betrayed the trust of the accused men. “That night, Reade Seligmann, Collin Finnerty and Dave Evans, they took me into their home and they trusted me,” she explained, adding that she falsely testified against them. “That was wrong, and I betrayed the trust of a lot of other people who believed in me.”

Mangum continued, acknowledging that her actions caused significant harm: “I didn’t need to seek validation from him because I already had it, I just didn’t know it, and I hurt my brothers.” She then offered an apology to the players, asking for their forgiveness. “I want them to know that I love them and they didn’t deserve that,” she said. “I hope they can forgive me, and I hope they can heal.”

This public admission of guilt is a marked departure from Mangum’s previous stance. In her 2008 memoir, Last Dance for Grace: The Crystal Mangum Story, she maintained that something had happened that night, though she never fully recanted her accusations.

Now, Mangum has explicitly confessed that her allegations were false. “It’s been on my heart to do a public apology concerning the Duke lacrosse case,” she shared in a letter to DePasquale before the podcast interview.

The false rape case against the players rocked the Duke community and garnered widespread media attention. Following the charges, Seligmann, Finnerty, and Evans faced legal and personal hardships. The charges against them were eventually dropped, and the district attorney who had pursued the case, Mike Nifong, was disbarred for unethical conduct. Despite the collapse of the case, Mangum was not charged with perjury, though her false testimony severely impacted the lives of the young men involved.

Today, the players have moved on from the scandal, with Seligmann, Finnerty, and Evans having settled a lawsuit with Duke University. However, Mangum’s decision to publicly apologize is a significant moment in a case that continues to be remembered as a cautionary tale about the dangers of false accusations.

As Mangum serves her sentence, her confession offers a bittersweet conclusion to one of the most controversial legal cases of the early 2000s. With her projected release date in 2026, it remains to be seen how this chapter of her life will unfold moving forward.