ANOTHER Bizarre Twist in Case of 'Missing Gossip Girl Actress' — As Family Claim Woman Found by Cops ISN'T Chanel Maya Banks
The actress has apparently debunked she's missing and bashed her family.
Nov. 15 2024, Published 6:30 p.m. ET
The "missing Gossip Girl" case continues to get stranger by the day.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the family of Chanel Maya Banks have now claimed the woman found by cops in Texas is not the actress who they believe is still missing.
Banks' family still believe the actress is missing after she was reportedly found.
The 36-year-old star sparked panic by "disappearing" from her Los Angeles apartment and had not been seen or heard from in two weeks.
Her cousin Danielle-Tori Singh, based in Toronto, began the search and the TV star's mother also few in from New York in order to assist in the search. Together, they began a GoFundMe page.
At the time, Singh and Banks' mom claimed she abandoned her beloved dog, taking just a phone and laptop from the property. The Los Angeles police also confirmed they were looking into the case and revealed they conducted four separate, unsuccessful welfare checks.
Then, on Wednesday, police shared that Banks was found in Texas and that they were closing their case. Investigators also added that no foul play or crime was suspected.
However, the Gossip Girl star's family is not buying that the woman found is in fact Banks.
Banks was said to have been found in Texas after missing for weeks.
Singh took to her Instagram Story and shared: "I have the still from Texas PD body cam footage that was shown to us on Monday Nov 11 at the Pacific Police Station in LA.
"This is the woman they're telling us is Chanel. We have told them this is not Chanel. They didn't listen to us and closed the case. That's why [Banks] won't post a video saying she's safe because it's not Chanel."
Singh added the family will continue to post "Missing Persons" flyers.
She previously called the woman police claimed to be Banks an "imposter".
This comes after an Instagram associated with Banks claimed she was never "missing" during a rant which included shocking allegations against her own family.
She purportedly said: "My name is Chanel Banks I'm a 36-year-old American nobody. I have met with the police and verified that not only am I OK, but I'm finally free."
Banks added: "They say, once you're free in Christ Jesus, you're free indeed, so I told my husband six days ago I was going to get baptized by one of my favorite pastors, Pastor Robert Clancy. He drove me to the airport and then I was off for a week … but I also saw it as an opportunity to escape my cage."
She stated: "I will never allow myself to be silenced ever again."
An Instagram connected to Banks claimed she was never missing, and also accused her family of 'abuse'.
Banks continued and alleged: "For my entire life I have been silently carrying the pain of the ritual sexual abuse, manipulation, and outright endless torment I've endured continuously since I was a defenseless baby, at the hands of my own so-called family, whom are all so very 'concerned' about my current whereabouts.
"I have met with the Police and verified that not only am I okay, but I'm finally free from my mother and her family."
Banks also claimed she has not spoken to Singh in "over 15 years, much less every day or 48 hrs..." and added: "I will never allow myself to be silenced ever again, least of all by my abusers..."
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Late Thursday night, Banks also took to the social media platform to share new photos and a video of herself getting glammed with the caption: "I heard you were looking for me, now what?" and added the hashtag "dumb and dumber".
Fans were quick to react as one person joked: "Guess you won’t need that GoFundMe now," and another added, "I’m way too invested in this. Are we going to get a Hulu, Netflix, Lifetime movie out of this?"
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