Davide Sanclimenti says he will be standing by his girlfriend Iris Au as she faces possible prison time over a $2,600,000 (£2m) tax row.
The reality star, 30, who won ITV’s Love Island in 2022 with ex-partner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu, first went public with his romance with Au, 35, in January 2025.
However, they could be conducting their relationship from behind bars as she has agreed to plead guilty to a federal criminal tax charge.
Her legal predicament came about after she failed to report illicit gains through her then-boyfriend – a cryptocurrency fraudster Iza known as “The Godfather” – and could serve up to three years.
The Italian TV personality told MailOnline that he “stole” Au from Iza, and described their love story as being like something from a “Hollywood blockbuster”.
Insisting that he knew about her situation all along, he told the publication that he had been “protecting her”.
“Iris is an amazing person who has been through difficult situations that most people could never understand.
“There’s so much of this extraordinary story that people don’t know yet. I will be there by her side to supply her as she deserves all the support and understanding.”
Au allegedly failed to report $2.6 million in crypto income obtained through Iza’s illegal activities.
A report from the United States Attorney’s Office reveals she made a plea deal and will make her first court appearance in Los Angeles in the coming days.
Her exact charge is in single-count information with subscribing to a false tax return.
The statement reads: “[Iris] Au admitted in her plea agreement that she transferred more than $2.6 million from these various accounts to her personal bank accounts during the period 2020 through 2023, income that she willfully failed to report to the IRS on her federal tax returns.
“After pleading guilty, Au will face up to three years in federal prison.”
According to MailOnline, Au “created shell corporations and opened bank accounts in the names of those entities under Iza’s direction.
“From the illicit funds in those accounts, she paid $1m (£769k) to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies who acted as private security for Iza and targeted those he had financial and personal disputes.”
Meanwhile, Iza has been in custody since September 2024 and on January 30 appeared before a judge where he pleaded guilty to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud, and tax evasion.
During his sentencing in June, it was revealed he could face up to 35 years in prison.
