Kirat Assi: The Shocking Catfishing Scandal That Captivated Audiences After Sweet Bobby Podcast
Kirat Assi, a resident of West London, became the victim of one of the most shocking catfishing incidents ever exposed. For over a decade, starting in 2009, Assi was manipulated into an online relationship with a fictitious man named Bobby Jandu—who turned out to be a creation of her cousin, Simran Bhogal.
Her story gained widespread attention after it was featured on the true-crime podcast Sweet Bobby, hosted by Alexi Mostrous in 2022. Now, Netflix has produced a documentary series chronicling the bizarre and harrowing events.
Who Is Kirat Assi?
Kirat Assi, also known as Harkirat Kaur Assi, is a 43-year-old marketing professional and radio host from West London. According to her personal website, she now dedicates her time to raising awareness about catfishing and supporting victims of similar online scams.
The Catfishing Ordeal
In the Sweet Bobby podcast, Kirat described how she met “Bobby Jandu” on social media and gradually developed a friendship that blossomed into a romantic relationship. Although they spoke regularly over the phone, their relationship was riddled with manipulation. Bobby claimed to be living in Australia and made several dramatic claims, including being shot and suffering from a brain tumor.
Despite their close connection, the two never met in person or video-called, raising suspicions. Over time, Bobby became increasingly controlling and possessive, which led to severe stress and health issues for Kirat.
Exasperated, Kirat hired a private investigator to dig into Bobby’s identity. To her shock, the investigation revealed that her cousin, Simran Bhogal, had been impersonating Bobby all along, feeding Kirat lies while simultaneously receiving intimate updates about the fake relationship.
According to Kirat’s website, she filed a civil case against Bhogal, which was eventually settled privately following an apology.
The case has sparked discussions about the emotional toll of online deception, with Kirat’s story serving as a cautionary tale about trust in the digital age.
(With inputs from multiple sources)
