Who is Bohdan Olinares? 'Love Is Blind' Season 7 star in hot water over abuse claims ahead of Netflix premiere
Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion is advised.
WASHINGTON, DC: Past scandals have shown reality TV fans that our favorite television personalities can often be quite different from their on-screen personas. Even though most reality shows rigorously screen their candidates, dark secrets from their pasts often slip through the cracks, revealing their true, unsettling selves once the cameras stop.
Unfortunately, this is precisely what happened with short-lived 'Love Is Blind' Season 7 participant Bohdan Olinares, who was recently accused of sexually abusing a partner after filming the series. Let’s delve into the details.
Bohdan Olinares faces sexual assault allegation post filming 'Love Is Blind' Season 7
Although Bohdan didn’t remain on the reality show for long, the controversy surrounding him will certainly make his time in the pods memorable. It’s becoming clear why the 36-year-old IT salesman struggles to find love. An anonymous Facebook user shared her encounter with Bohdan prior to the season premiere in a group devoted to outing men and their warning signs in Washington, DC.
"I matched with Bohdan a few years back, and we ended up going on dates/hooking up for about a month or two," she said. After gradually losing touch, the two reconnected in October 2023, but that's when things began to go wrong "We met up and had a couple of drinks (he and I had been out prior to meeting and had been drinking some). We began hooking up, and things quickly escalated to an aggressive nature."
While she mentioned that they had engaged in 'rough s*x' in the past, she described this incident as crossing a line and turning into what she perceived as an attack. She went on to detail the interaction, adding that at one point she was "terrified and crying," unable to breathe.
She noted, "He did not have a conversation with me regarding any of this prior," and although he attempted to console her and apologize, she felt it wasn’t enough to make up for his hostile, non-consensual actions. "I was not expecting for any of this to happen, and I'm just glad that I never have to see him again," she added.
In her post, she stated that the incident reportedly occurred just a few weeks after he had left town to film his segment of the show. She concluded her message by warning the women of Washington, DC. "Please, please do not trust this man. My friend reported him the second his profile was seen, and I strongly encourage others to do the same."
While the anonymous accuser sent a follow-up message claiming to have seen her post, Bohdan has yet to respond publicly to the allegations. "I no longer feel comfortable because someone here clearly said something to him," she expressed. "I'm confident that it was him who messaged me from a burner ... Thanks to those of you who did that, you are truly horrible pieces of s--t. I had to change my number."
'Love Is Blind' Season 7 star Bohdan Olinares fought for his homeland in Ukraine
Bohdan, originally from Ukraine, immigrated to the United States with his parents at the age of two. However, he enlisted in the Ukrainian Armed Forces shortly after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. He was a six-month resident of Ukraine and a former US Marine who nearly lost his life in the Donetsk region.
When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Bohdan, an employee of F5, immediately began considering ways he could help. Bohdan was thinking about quitting his work at F5, but his choice was solidified when he saw a video of three youngsters from Ukraine hurling a Molotov cocktail against a Russian tank.
Bohdan, an account manager for F5's federal client sales team in Washington, DC, decided to purchase a plane ticket and informed his supervisor about his plans in the days that followed. To his astonishment, Bohdan's superiors promised him F5 would back him and would work fast to iron out the specifics, instead of attempting to talk him out of it. After Bohdan used up all of his paid leave, his employer extended his leave of absence and offered him three months of commission the very next day.
Surprisingly, Bohdan received a call from François Locoh-Donou, President and CEO of F5, who informed him that a position would be waiting for him upon his return, no matter how long he was away. Locoh-Donou spoke with Bohdan for about fifteen to twenty minutes, asking about his travels and wishing him well.
Bohdan's F5 teammates gave him a farewell party before his departure as a token of their appreciation. To help him buy the clothes, tools, and other equipment he would need to enter a conflict zone, they also started a collection. Bohdan confided in his manager that he didn't want his coworkers to go out of their way to help him. However, he was informed that F5ers were willing to assist and that this was how they might do it.
After arriving in Ukraine, Bohdan received assistance from friends in establishing the necessary contacts. Eventually, he joined the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine's Special Forces division, where he created a training curriculum to arm Ukrainian civilians—some of whom had never fired a gun—for combat. Bohdan claimed that F5's standing as a business that puts people first followed him all the way to Ukraine. Ultimately, Bohdan stayed in Ukraine for six months.
By then, his unit had more than tripled in size, and it was scheduled to go to a newly established facility for three months of regular military training. Now that he is back at F5, Bohdan continues to raise awareness about the conflict and the ongoing need for support from the West. He states that he wants people to be aware of the challenging circumstances that Ukrainians are in and their fervent desire to preserve their independence.
The key lesson Bohdan believes he learned from his time in Ukraine is that people are still willing to help one another in times of need. Bohdan, a proud immigrant and refugee from Ukraine, expresses his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to live what he considers the American dream. He claims, "My parents brought me to [this country], so I think I’ve made them proud by fulfilling what they came here to do."
What is Bohdan Olinares looking for in 'Love is Blind' Season 7?
Bohdan's past and distinctive upbringing must be embraced by any potential spouse as they "give [people] a more complete look" at his ideals and origins. The former Marine believes that his five-year marriage to his first wife was the most outrageous thing he has ever done for love.
"I ignored some red flags because I was in love," he claims. Since then, Bohdan has gained clarity about what he’s looking for, thanks to the passage of time and personal growth. However, picky eaters need not apply. "If you’re just eating chicken nuggets all day and not open to trying other foods, then I don’t want it," he added.
'Love Is Blind' Season 7 premieres on Netflix on October 2.