What Did Pepe Do to Iris from Love Island USA?

Iris Kendall and Jose “Pepe” Garcia-Gonzalez initially had a platonic connection in Season 7 of Love Island USA, however issues rapidly turned romantic. They remained collectively till the finale, the place they completed in fourth place.

The 2 left the villa as a pair, however not for lengthy. Pepe and Iris unfollowed one another on social media only a day earlier than the reunion aired on August 25, 2025, and simply three days later, Pepe confirmed to TMZ that he and Iris broke up. Right here’s what we learn about their break up, together with whether or not he cheated on her.

What did Pepe do to Iris from Love Island USA?

Simply days earlier than the Love Island USA Season 7 reunion aired, dishonest rumors started circulating on-line. A lady reportedly posted an Instagram Story of Pepe taking part in basketball with the caption, “Balllllin’ @pepe.garcia15.” She additionally shared a Snapchat, alleging that she slept with Pepe in a lodge foyer.

This went viral, and shortly after, Iris and Pepe broke up and unfollowed one another on Instagram. Iris additionally took to her Instagram Story to share a photograph of a sundown set to Fleetwood Mac’s hit breakup tune, “Silver Springs.”

On the time, Pepe denied the dishonest allegations, telling TMZ he paid “no thoughts” to any of the hate he acquired. “I don’t care what folks assume,” he added.

Iris informed E! Information that she wished to maintain this personal however was “so grateful for all of the love and help” she acquired and “will all the time worth the distinctive expertise” she and Pepe shared.

Associated: Which Love Island USA {couples} are nonetheless collectively?

She commented on the dishonest hypothesis in Season 2 of Love Island: Past the Villa, revealing that Pepe’s alleged infidelity was the explanation why they break up.

“With Pepe, the explanation why it didn’t work out is I used to be getting messages from women telling me horrible issues about him, after which after the reunion, Pepe’s dishonest scandal occurred, and I’m not OK with that,” Iris defined. “I’m not OK with Pepe mendacity, and that was actually simply the top for me.”

Pepe maintained his innocence on Past the Villa: “I didn’t cheat on Iris,” he claimed, including that he didn’t “communicate to different ladies after I was speaking to Iris.”

“I positively assume TJ was hung up on Iris,” he added. “They had been each hung up on one another as a result of now they’re collectively.”

Shortly after Iris and Pepe ended their relationship, Iris reconciled together with her former Love Island USA connection, Thomas “TJ” Palma. The pair initially met up days after Season 7 ended, when Iris and Pepe had been nonetheless a pair. Pepe has even referred to this as Iris’ personal “dishonest scandal” throughout a September 2025 episode of the Sorry We’re Not Cyrus podcast.

Iris and TJ have rejected this notion, stating on Past the Villa that they didn’t rekindle their romance till after Iris ended issues with Pepe. They’re additionally not on talking phrases with Pepe, who they declare tried to come back between them.

“[Pepe] informed me informed me that, ‘TJ informed me you sucked his d–okay in Koreatown whenever you met up with him,’” Iris stated. “When TJ and I rekindled, I requested him about this and he was like, ‘What the hell, I by no means stated this.’… He must apologize to TJ as a result of he took time away by mendacity.”

TJ shared his personal story, alleging, “Whereas Iris and Pepe had been collectively, Pepe informed Iris, ‘TJ’s f——g Gracyn [Blackmore].’”