Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare
Kirat Assi’s life was turned upside down by a decade-long catfishing scheme, now explored in the Netflix documentarySweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare. This chilling real-life story follows Assi, a former radio presenter, as she falls victim to an intricate deception that began in 2010. What started as an online friendship with a man named Bobby Jandu — whom she believed to be a charming cardiologist — evolved into a romantic relationship spanning several years. However, Bobby’s identity was entirely fabricated by someone shockingly close to Assi:her cousin, Simran Bhogal, who orchestrated an elaborate web of lies involving over 60 fictional characters.
Sweet Bobby’sastonishing catfishing storybegins with Assi receiving a Facebook request from Bobby,a fellow member of her Sikh community in London. Despite never meeting him in person, their relationship grew through constant messaging, with Bobby concocting increasingly bizarre excuses to avoid in-person meetings. From claims of being in a witness protection program to suffering life-threatening illnesses, Bobby’s fabricated stories kept Assi emotionally invested while isolating her from her real-life relationships. The catfishing scheme only unraveled when Assi decided to confront the real Bobby Jandu, leading to the shocking discovery that it was her cousin Simran behind the deception all along.
Simran Bhogal Pretended To Be Kirat Assi’s Online Boyfriend Bobby For Almost A Decade
The Lengthy Deception: Simran’s Decade-Long Catfishing Act
In 2009,Kirat Assireceived a Facebook friend request from “Bobby Jandu,” a man who claimed to be a cardiologist living in New York.What began as a simple online friendship quickly deepened into a romantic relationship. Bobby, who was part of Kirat’s Sikh community and shared mutual friends, communicated with her constantly. Over the next several years, the two spent countless hours talking and texting. Despite forming an emotional bond, Bobby repeatedly found excuses to avoid meeting in person, often citing his supposed involvement in witness protection or severe health issues that kept him out of reach.
He monitored Kirat’s movements, told her how to dress, and dictated her social interactions, all while maintaining his elusive identity.
As their relationship progressed, Bobby’s behavior became increasingly controlling. He monitored Kirat’s movements, told her how to dress, and dictated her social interactions, all while maintaining his elusive identity.Kirat, now in her mid-30s, felt emotionally tied to him,even though they had never met face-to-face after nearly a decade of online communication. Unbeknownst to her, “Bobby” was a complete fabrication. Her cousin, Simran Bhogal, had been impersonating him and creating an elaborate web of lies, which included numerous fake profiles of Bobby’s friends and family, designed to validate his fictitious life.
Why Simran Bhogal Catfished Her Cousin, Kirat Assi
The Motive Behind the Deception: Simran’s Reasons for Catfishing
Simran Bhogal was only 17 when she began catfishing her older cousin, Kirat Assi, with whom she had a close relationship.Coming from a family with deep connections, Simran was described by Kirat as the “perfect daughter” and a model student. Over the years, Simran became an integral part of the deception, supporting Kirat emotionally and even validating “Bobby’s” existence and feelings. Despite their growing closeness, Simran was secretly behind the elaborate scheme, which lasted nearly a decade. In 2018, Simran finally confessed, but she has never publicly explained her motives for targeting her cousin.
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While Simran has not offered a public explanation, she did send Kirat a private apology letter, the contents of which remain undisclosed due to legal reasons.Kirat, however, expressed that the apology seemed insincere. According to Kirat, Simran believed they were both in a “dark place” and that the fantasy world she created through the catfishing scheme would bring them both some kind of joy. Experts interviewed in the podcastSweet Bobbystruggled to understand Simran’s actions, leaving the true reason behind her manipulation still unclear.
How Simran Bhogal’s Catfishing Scheme Was Finally Exposed
The Turning Point: The Event That Led to Simran’s Exposure
Kirat Assi’s suspicions about “Bobby Jandu” grew after a failed attempt to meet him at a Kensington hotel, where the receptionist confirmed no one by that name had checked in.Still doubtful, she reached out to “Bobby,” who claimed that the hotel was instructed to withhold his details. Kirat hired a private investigator who traced Bobby to an address in Brighton. When Kirat arrived, she encountered the real Bobby Jandu, standing next to his wife. Shocked, Bobby saw his own face on her phone but denied ever communicating with Kirat.
This revelation led Kirat to confront her cousin, Simran Bhogal, who called her and instructed her to leave Brighton.The following day, Simran came to Kirat’s house and admitted she had been posing as Bobby all along.Simran revealed that she not only impersonated Bobby but also pretended to be his family and friends, fabricating an entire online persona to manipulate Kirat for almost a decade.
Did Simran Bhogal Face Any Consequences For The Catfishing Case?
The Legal Fallout: Simran’s Legal Status After the Catfishing
Simran Bhogal has not faced any criminal charges for her involvement in the catfishing case.After her confession in 2018, Kirat Assi approached the police, but her claims were dismissed as catfishing is not a crime in the U.K. Despite the emotional manipulation and deceit Kirat experienced, legal limitations prevented any criminal prosecution against Simran.
However, in 2020, Kirat won a civil case against Simran for harassment, misuse of private information, and breaches of data protection laws.
This resulted in a substantial financial settlement. Although Simran has not faced criminal consequences, she released a statement through her lawyers, framing the situation as a family matter and denying the accusations as defamatory.
Where Simran Bhogal & Kirat Assi Are Today
Simran’s Current Life: Her Status After the Catfishing Scandal
Simran Bhogal, though thrust into the public eye, has largely kept her privacy intact.She declined to participate in Netflix’s documentarySweet Bobbyand has consistently described the matter as a “private family dispute,” referring to events that began when she was a schoolgirl. Bhogal has since moved on professionally, with reports suggesting she works as a vice president at a major British bank, potentially Barclays, as speculated by Reddit users, though the update is not officially confirmed.
She resumed her radio show and enjoys engaging with her listeners on various topics.
Kirat Assi, meanwhile, has faced lasting emotional and social repercussions from the catfishing ordeal.The interconnected community in which she lived grew silent after the news spread.“Lots of people just don’t know what to say,” Kirat mentioned in an interview withTODAY. Despite these challenges, she resumed her radio show and enjoys engaging with her listeners on various topics.
As for the legal consequences, after police initially dismissed her claims, Kirat filed a civil suit against Simran in 2020, resulting in a settlement in 2021. Simran paid substantial damages, and Kirat received a private apology letter. However, Kirat’s fight isn’t over, as she pushes for public accountability. “I just want her to take responsibility for her actions,” Kirat said. While the police re-opened her case following the podcast’s release, progress has been slow, and Kirat remains committed to seeking justice asSweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmarebrings renewed attention to the situation.
