Fake profiles, bizarre voice mails and a twin: the latest twists in the Tarek Mentouri saga

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    NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) — Kelly Cochrane knew something was wrong when she was asked by a friend if she had two social media profiles.

“I said, ‘No I don’t.’ And she said well, I’m getting messages from somebody and it’s your name,” Cochrane said.

What she uncovered next is proof, she believes, that the man she accused of inappropriately sexual behavior towards her during a massage was impersonating her online.

It comes as News4 Investigates uncovers what an attempt to assume the identity of News4’s news director from someone making calls from Mentouri’s phone number.

And in his most bizarre claim yet, the massage therapist claims his twin brother is to blame for all of it.

Cochrane, who is among 17 women who tell News4 Investigates that Mentouri sexually touched them or himself during massages or job interviews, said nothing surprises her at this point.

Cochrane said when she was alerted that a fake profile was created, using her family’s picture and exact spelling of her name, was being used to communicate with her friend online, inquiring if she knew someone named “Isaac.”

Cochrane found that detail important, as Mentouri often goes by Issac, with different spellings, online and in ads.

She found another instance of something using another profile, using her maiden and first name, commenting on a News4 Investigates article that Mentouri hadn’t been arrested or charge even after so many women have called 911.

“I think his motive is to clear his name in some way or form,” Cochrane said.

News4 Investigates intended to ask Mentouri about Cochrane’s claims when he agreed to another interview with News4 Investigates, but then never showed up.

We also intended to ask him about a series of voicemails left with the company that manages News4’s website.

In those voicemails, someone claiming to be News4 News Director Mitch Jacob, asked that the thumbnail image of Mentouri be taken off our website.

Emails, sent from a fictional email that does not belong to Jacob, also made the requests.

The person impersonating Jacob left a phone number for the website to call back, leaving the exact same cell phone number for Mentouri.

In response to this story, Mentouri sent News4 Investigates the following email and photographs:

“Hi, so here is the truth I’ve been quiet about. I actually have a twin who has been responsible for these offenses. He’s the horny one. I’m not even into sexual behavior. He has performed massage before and may have been unlicensed. I have not spoken to him in detail about the allegations, but IF someone did do it, it was him and not me. One of us likes female feet, but the other doesn’t. One of us may be dead, but the other isn’t. One of us may have even won the lottery out of state. Out of respect for our privacy, I will not reveal his name. In fact, one of us may go by our biological father’s last name b/c we grew up w/o him, and Mentouri is our mother’s last name. If someone ever impersonated anyone, it was not me but him. His voice sounds just like mine, and we have shared each other’s phones before on rare occasions. Please note that in the picture of us, we are wearing a mask that is a picture of ourselves we had custom made. I will not be answering any questions or making any other statements about him. This is all that has to be said for this next story you have.”

News4 Investigates will now be examining birth records to fact-check Mentouri’s claims.

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