Tyler Perry Accuser Recently Sent Mogul Text Saying ‘I Love You’

Newly leaked text messages reportedly show Tyler Perry accuser Mario Rodriguez contacted the entertainment mogul twice over the last year to say he was having health problems, needed financial help, and had affection for the mogul.

The Associated Press and TMZ obtained screengrabs of the messages from an anonymous source, and published them earlier today. The texts were sent in November 2024 and August 2025.

In a string of texts dated Aug. 31, 2025, Rodriguez said he was having serious health problems, but could not afford treatment, and did not have medical insurance.

“Brother haven’t been feeling ok confused and lil nauseous I got blood work think its my teeth,” one message read. “I know it’s none of your business idk what do. I know I promised you I would never ask you for anything, but if it is what I think it is, I don’t think I could do it on my own because I barely pay my bills scared af…”

Tyler Perry’s alleged text messages with his sexual battery accuser Mario Rodriguez seem to show the other man asking Perry for money prior to filing a lawsuit against him.

Read more: https://t.co/2459pMzVAU pic.twitter.com/PIEjgOomdQ

— TMZ (@TMZ) December 29, 2025

The model and actor continued by saying he feared getting sepsis like his father and dying.

“I don’t want to get sepsis like my dad and pass away I don’t even wanna mention it because I don’t wanna make it real,” the message read.

Rodriguez purportedly described his symptoms and said he had no money to visit a doctor.

“I’ve always been healthy but lately I’ve been waking up confused and dizzy and a bunch of stuff. I just can’t go to the doctor because I can’t even afford it. I don’t want anything. I just wanna be OK. Scared brother,” he reportedly wrote.

The model noted that his dentist was “in prison for fraud.”

A string of messages sent around Thanksgiving 2024, showed Rodriguez reportedly thanking Perry for previous help, and expressing affection for the filmmaker.

“Just know that I love you and I thank you for everything. I appreciate you to the moon,” Rodriguez allegedly wrote. “You got my Mexican a– out of a lot of bad places and I just wanna tell you thank you.”

Rodriguez downplayed the messages in a statement to the AP via his attorney Jonathan Delshad.

“When someone has influence over your career, your income, your future, you don’t feel free,” the statement read. “Survivors often stay cordial. They often ask for help when they feel desperate. That does not mean abuse didn’t happen. Those text messages were sent to Perry at a time when I was especially vulnerable as can be seen from the context.”

The aspiring actor filed a $77 million lawsuit against Perry in Los Angeles County court on Thursday, Dec. 25. The complaint alleged sexual assault, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Perry’s attorney Alex Spiro denied the allegations and called the filing a “money grab.”

The complaint said Rodriguez met Perry in 2014, after a fitness trainer approached him in a Los Angeles gym, and said the director wanted to speak with him about possible acting work.

The actor had a small part in Perry’s 2016 film Boo! A Madea Halloween. The lawsuit said Rodriguez declined Perry’s alleged advances, but the filmmaker gave him $10,000.

Rodriguez was the second actor to file a lawsuit against Perry alleging sexual abuse.

The Oval actor Derek Dixon, who is also represented by Delshad, sued the mogul for $260 million in June, alleging sexual harassment, sexual battery, sexual assault, workplace harassment and other claims.

Perry’s attorney Matthew Boyd said the actor was looking for a payday.

“This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam,” Boyd said in a statement. “But Tyler will not be shaken down, and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail.”