Lil Tay’s former manager Harry Tsang has accused her of lying about her Instagram account being hacked just hours after confirming she was actually alive.
The 14-year-old was presumed dead along with her older brother Jason Tian after a statement was posted on their verified social media account on Wednesday, August 9.
However, 24 hours later, the teen rapper spoke up, claiming her account was “compromised by a third party” and announcing that she and her siblings are both “safe and alive.”
Speaking exclusively to , Tsang expressed doubts about the likelihood that Lil Tay’s statement is entirely true.
“When I heard about Liltay’s reassurances of her well-being, I felt relieved that she is safe. “However, I believe the reported hacking incident may not have taken place,” Tsang said.
Bold claim: Lil Tay’s former manager has accused her of lying about her Instagram account being hacked
Speaking out: Harry Tsang believes the ‘reported hacking incident may not have taken place’
Older sibling: Tsang claimed Lil Tay’s brother Jason Tian (pictured) is “known for his propensity for extreme measures”
Shocking statement: A post shared on the teen’s Instagram account said she and her 21-year-old brother had both died and called her by her birth name, Claire Hope
“My rationale for this perspective is twofold: First, recovering a compromised account on platforms like Meta/Instagram does not typically require a 24-hour timeframe.
“Second, the actions of Liltay’s brother, who is known for his propensity for extreme measures, lead me to hypothesize an alternative motive behind this incident.”
He then claimed, “It is conceivable that the intent behind these events was an attempt to illicitly extort money from loyal supporters and unwitting bystanders.”
“At the same time, I contend that such actions reflect a degree of irresponsibility when the underlying motive is, in fact, to rekindle Liltay’s public prominence.”
“It’s important to consider the potential impact of using such tactics, especially given their potential impact on wider audience perceptions and feelings,” Tsang added.
After the obituary was posted on Lil Tay’s Instagram – which had been dormant since June 2018 – the influencer gained more than 200,000 new followers.
Tsang’s claims come after the teen confirmed she is not dead in a statement to TMZ Thursday afternoon.
“I want to make it clear that my brother and I are safe and alive, but I am completely heartbroken and struggling to even find the right words,” said Lil Tay – who was born Claire Hope but has now confirmed that her legal name is Tay Tian – said the publication.
“It’s been a very traumatic 24 hours.” All day yesterday I was bombarded with endless heartbreaking and tearful calls from loved ones as I tried to sort out this mess.”
Spotlight: Tsang appeared alongside Lil Tay in a social media video a few years ago
Pied: In the hilarious clip, the child star slammed a pie in Tsang’s face as he rode past her on a scooter
Her truth: In a statement released on Thursday, the teen claimed her Instagram account had been “compromised”.
His words: Tsang suggested that there “might be an underlying motive for reviving Lil Tay’s notoriety.”
Then: Lil Tay appeared on Good Morning America in 2018 alongside her mother Angela
The teenager, who made headlines in 2018 when she claimed she was abused by her father Christopher Hope and exploited by her brother, failed to reveal why it took her more than 24 hours to confirm she was alive and well.
Speaking about the post that sparked the death rumors, Tay insisted her Instagram account had been “compromised by a third party” and used “to spread offensive misinformation and rumors” about her.
The young star also confirmed that she now has access to her account again.
She further revealed that she no longer goes by her birth name, Claire Hope, which was used in the now-deleted fake obituary, and explained that she now goes by the official name Tay Tian, having apparently abandoned her estranged father’s surname in favor her mother Angela.
Shortly after the release of Lil Tay’s statement, speculation erupted on social media about the legitimacy of her claims. Many users wondered why it had taken her so long to address the bogus death rumors – while others speculated the whole hoax was a desperate attempt at publicity.
“So are Lil Tay and her brother dead or alive? Because the way that statement was worded and then how it took a full 24 hours to denounce it is still very strange,” one person wrote.
“Let’s hypothesize that Lil Tay’s Instagram was hacked… what would be the reason the brother is dead too?” “The whole thing is confusing,” said another.
A third wrote: “My guess was that Lil Tay was alive and that was a wild publicity stunt.”