Shelly Chartier

Shelly Lynne Chartier (born 1983/1984) is a Canadian woman who became infamous for her online involvement in a catfishing scandal involving NBA basketball player Chris Andersen and a teenage aspiring model, Paris Dunn, among others.

Early life Shelly Chartier led an isolated life as a self-proclaimed "hermit" for years, Chartier utilized the internet installed in her community in 2011 to facilitate connection and communication but had little real-world experience.

Chris Andersen catfishing When Chartier was 27 in 2012, Paris Dunn, 17, an aspiring actress, commented on a public status posted by NBA player Chris Andersen, 33, leaving her cell phone number. Seeing this, Chartier messaged Dunn as the NBA player and engaged in an online relationship. Chartier proceeded to set up fake social media accounts for Andersen and Dunn, as well as reach out to the real Chris Andersen from the 'Dunn' account.

"Tom Taylor" (another fake account), a fictional friend of Andersen's, was used to facilitate a meeting between the real Andersen and Dunn, in Denver. It is unclear if Chartier was behind this account as she has stated multiple times she was not. During the in-person meeting the 33-year-old NBA player engaged in sexual contact with then-17-year-old Dunn. necessitating an investigation into Andersen. Andersen engaged in an online and in-person relationship with a 17-year-old, as she had given him the impression that she was a legal adult. Following her release in Canada, it was reported that she still had an active warrant for her arrest out of Colorado, and if convicted of the charges there she could face multiple decades in prison.

Derivative works The case inspired the Law and Order: Special Victims Unit episode "Intent". Further, a 2017 episode of Catfish: The TV Show included both Dunn and Chartier. Dunn wrote into the show after Chartier served her sentence. on Christmas Day. A documentary of her life was produced by the CBC in 2017 and she was the subject of a sixth-season episode of Catfish: The TV Show.

Chartier does not drink alcohol or smoke, saying she cannot after seeing how her grandfather became irritable and mean while drunk often in her youth.

Until 2017, Chartier was unemployed, and as a result could not sponsor her husband for a visa to stay in Canada with her permanently. She eventually got a part-time position as a janitor in her Reserve's band office, and is now considered employed full-time as her mother's caregiver.