"That's literally psychotic behavior" — Love Is Blind star Dave slams the man who came between him and Lauren

David "Dave" Bettenburg addressed the controversy surrounding his breakup with Lauren O'Brien during the Love Is Blind Season 8 reunion, which aired on March 9, 2025. Speaking in an interview with PEOPLE after the reunion, he explained that a third party influenced their relationship. He stated,

"Watching what he's doing right now is just pathetic. Me and Lauren have talked... That's literally psychotic behavior. That's not okay."

Dave elaborated on how this individual allegedly spread false information to people close to him, which ultimately affected his perception of Lauren. He later reconsidered his actions, expressing regret over the way the situation unfolded.

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Dave Bettenburg addresses Love Is Blind breakup and alleged interference

Dave describes how the third party affected his relationship

Dave revealed that before joining Love Is Blind, Lauren had been involved with another man who was known within his social circle. According to Dave, this individual played a role in shaping how others viewed Lauren’s past and intentions. He explained,

"He planted this entire story ... Honestly, it's embarrassing and it's desperate for attention and it's pathetic."

During the Love Is Blind reunion, Dave disclosed that this person deliberately spread misleading information to people who would eventually relay it to him.

"He's been literally planning this for a year. Plotting and planning this behind the scenes, and flat-out lying to people that know me specifically so I would hear about it," he stated.

Lauren attempted to address the concerns and requested an opportunity to explain her side to Dave's friends and family. However, Dave did not grant her that chance at the time. The tension surrounding the situation contributed to their eventual split before the season finale.

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Dave expresses regret over how he handled the situation

Dave acknowledged that he initially trusted the information he was given and made decisions based on what he believed to be true at the time. Looking back, he expressed regret for not realizing sooner that the situation had been manipulated, explaining that he had spent the past year believing a false narrative and now felt misled.

After learning additional details about the situation, Dave apologized to Lauren multiple times. The Love Is Blind star explained that he had believed the people who were sharing information with him and didn't know what else to do. He also noted that there was no clear way to navigate the situation while maintaining his trust in those around him.

Despite their breakup, Dave and Lauren have since discussed the situation privately. He acknowledged that the interference from this individual had a lasting impact on their relationship, stating,

"In that moment, when me and Lauren eventually don’t work out, and it’s mostly because of this guy, I’m just making the best judgment call I can in that time with the information that I have from people that I trust."

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Dave considers what could have been

As Dave processes the situation, he has thought about how events may have unfolded differently if the third party had not been involved.

"Now me and Lauren, we’re joking around with each other and texting back and forth how much we hate this guy and how disappointing it is that people feel the need to do stuff like this," he stated.

Dave questioned whether their relationship could have succeeded under different circumstances, reflecting on the possibility of things working out if certain actions had not been taken. He highlighted that someone’s actions were impacting people’s futures and lives.

Regarding reconciliation, the Love Is Blind star expressed uncertainty but acknowledged it was possible. He explained that he was still processing new information and trying to understand the motivations behind certain behaviors. While Lauren previously stated that a romantic future with Dave was not likely, he remained open to the idea.

"I definitely still have feelings for her. I don’t know how she feels, but yeah," he said.

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Love Is Blind season 8 is available for streaming on Netflix.