After 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days cast member Alina Kozhevnikova was slammed by viewers for using a variation of the N-word in an Instagram post, she’s now denying it and claiming the picture was Photoshopped. Russian singer Alina is a newcomer to the world of 90 Day Fiancé and currently is a part of Before the 90 Days with boyfriend Caleb Greenwood, whom she’s meeting for the first time in Turkey. Alina, who has a condition called diastrophic dysplasia, was well-loved by all during her debut. But over time, Alina has been called out for being pushy and for using the TLC show to gain publicity as she’s supposedly an actress as well.

Caleb and Alina reconnected after 13 years and developed romantic feelings when he joked that she should apply to become his mail-order bride. But Caleb refused to show any signs of romance with Alina when he first saw her, and Alina came across as desperate for cuddles. However, Alina and Caleb got intimate in a recent 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days episode. Meanwhile, Alina has been embroiled in a major controversy off-screen. A screenshot of Alina’s alleged Instagram post with her wearing a red bandana and a penciled-in beard has been circulating on social media. The caption read, “Yo [N-word] gotta do sum [sic] gold diggin #gangsta #mymomwantedason #throwback #homecoming.” The post seems to have received 69 likes before Alina allegedly deleted it.

Related: 90 Day Fiancé: Alina & Caleb's Intimate Scene Makes Viewers Uncomfortable

However, Alina’s reply to 90 Day Fiancé Instagram blogger @mommysaysbadwords DMing her over the controversy was, “Wow, nice photo editing skills  👍 👍 👍 (not) Idk who does this but this is beyond dumb.” When the blogger wrote, “I didn’t do it, I reposted it," Alina replied, “Reposting something like this is as bad.” The blogger pointed out that saying “the n word is bad” and the post shows Alina saying it. Alina defended herself by claiming, “Never said it,” but not before Alina made the statement, “Plus I really don’t get why this way was chosen. Like I’m Russian. I’m not even from the US, I didn’t grow up there. We don’t even speak English here.”

The 90 Day Fiancé fan page remarked that Alina should “repost the ‘real’ post” and Alina claimed that she had posted the said photo of herself dressed as a man in her Instagram Stories. The blogger asked Alina when it was posted. “Hm Idk, some days ago…and I think I posted it some time ago too, I get nostalgic about studying in the us too.” St. Petersburg resident Alina explained that the photo has been on her Russian social media and on her Facebook page. “Like I think if I try, I can make stuff like this in photoshop,” Alina suggested. She told the 90 Day Fiancé page, “Maybe I’ll address this later,” before adding, “I don’t understand why this topic was even chosen since again, I’m Russian and grew up in Russia.” The BFF band member Alina’s next message read, “Also, I’m a minority too, so I’d never disrespect other minorities 🤷. Doesn’t make sense.”

The blogger then attempted to take screenshots of the conversation, but Alina started deleting all her sent messages. In the blogger’s comments, a viewer wrote that Alina deleting the DMs makes her look more suspicious. Someone else observed that Alina not speaking English is not an excuse for her to use the racial slur. Former cast member Lisa Hamme, who was married to Usman Umar on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days, was reportedly fired for calling Sojaboy the N-word. Meanwhile, Alina hasn’t posted anything on her Instagram in the form of Stories or posts since then. She’s neither addressed this particular post nor the video, which suggests Alina having an acting background prior to 90 Day Fiancé.

Next: 90 Day Fiancé: Alina Shuts Down Speculations About Her Height

90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days airs Sundays at 8 p.m. EST on TLC.

Source: @mommysaysbadwords/Instagram