What Did Love Island USA‘s Pepe Do to Iris? What Beyond the Villa Didn’t Show About Their Cheating Scandal
Iris Kendall and Jose “Pepe” Garcia-Gonzalez initially had a platonic connection in Season 7 of Love Island USA, but things quickly turned romantic. They remained together until the finale, where they finished in fourth place.
The two left the villa as a couple, but not for long. Pepe and Iris unfollowed each other on social media just a day before the reunion aired on August 25, 2025, and just three days later, Pepe confirmed to TMZ that he and Iris broke up. Here’s what we know about their split, including whether he cheated on her.
What did Pepe do to Iris from Love Island USA?
Just days before the Love Island USA Season 7 reunion aired, cheating rumors began circulating online. A woman reportedly posted an Instagram Story of Pepe playing basketball with the caption, “Balllllin’ @pepe.garcia15.” She also shared a Snapchat, alleging that she slept with Pepe in a hotel lobby.
This went viral, and soon after, Iris and Pepe broke up and unfollowed each other on Instagram. Iris also took to her Instagram Story to share a photo of a sunset set to Fleetwood Mac’s hit breakup song, “Silver Springs.”
At the time, Pepe denied the cheating allegations, telling TMZ he paid “no mind” to any of the hate he received. “I don’t care what people think,” he added.
Iris told E! News that she wanted to keep this private but was “so grateful for all the love and support” she received and “will always value the unique experience” she and Pepe shared.
Related: Which Love Island USA couples are still together?
She commented on the cheating speculation in Season 2 of Love Island: Beyond the Villa, revealing that Pepe’s alleged infidelity was the reason why they split.
“With Pepe, the reason why it didn’t work out is I was getting messages from girls telling me horrible things about him, and then after the reunion, Pepe’s cheating scandal happened, and I’m not OK with that,” Iris explained. “I’m not OK with Pepe lying, and that was really just the end for me.”
Pepe maintained his innocence on Beyond the Villa: “I did not cheat on Iris,” he claimed, adding that he didn’t “speak to other women when I was talking to Iris.”
“I definitely think TJ was hung up on Iris,” he added. “They were both hung up on each other because now they’re together.”
Shortly after Iris and Pepe ended their relationship, Iris reconciled with her former Love Island USA connection, Thomas “TJ” Palma. The pair initially met up days after Season 7 ended, when Iris and Pepe were still a couple. Pepe has even referred to this as Iris’ own “cheating scandal” during a September 2025 episode of the Sorry We’re Not Cyrus podcast.
Iris and TJ have rejected this notion, stating on Beyond the Villa that they didn’t rekindle their romance until after Iris ended things with Pepe. They are also not on speaking terms with Pepe, who they claim tried to come between them.
“[Pepe] told me told me that, ‘TJ told me you sucked his d–k in Koreatown when you met up with him,'” Iris said. “When TJ and I rekindled, I asked him about this and he was like, ‘What the hell, I never said this.’… He needs to apologize to TJ because he took time away by lying.”
TJ shared his own story, alleging, “While Iris and Pepe were together, Pepe told Iris, ‘TJ’s f——g Gracyn [Blackmore].'”
