Brazilian Hairdresser Larissa Nery Caught in Indian Election Controversy: The Truth Behind Rahul Gandhi's Allegations

Larissa Nery, a Brazilian hairdresser, has unexpectedly found herself embroiled in an Indian political controversy. The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, recently made serious allegations regarding electoral fraud during a press conference, claiming that a Brazilian woman had cast votes 22 times across 10 different polling stations in Haryana.

This Brazilian woman has since been identified as Larissa Nery, a hairdresser from Minas Gerais, a southeastern state in Brazil. She operates her own salon in Belo Horizonte, the capital city of Minas Gerais.

Responding to the controversy, Nery explained that the photograph at the center of this dispute was taken by photographer Matheus Ferrero in 2017 when she was approximately 20 years old. The image was subsequently uploaded to Unsplash, a platform for royalty-free photographs. Following the controversy, Ferrero has removed her image from his profile.

In an Instagram video addressing the situation, Nery clarified, "Guys, they are using an old photo of mine. It's an old photo, okay? I was like 18 or 20 years old. I don't know if it's an election or something about voting... And in India. Ah! They're portraying me as Indian to scam people, guys. What madness! What craziness is this? What world do we live in?"

She further emphasized her disconnection from the situation, stating, "I have absolutely nothing to do with politics in India. My photo was purchased from a stock image platform and used without my involvement. It's not me, I've never even been to India." She added, "I'm a Brazilian digital influencer and a hairdresser, and I love the Indian people."

In response to the controversy, Nery has made her Instagram account private.