Ryan Lochte is firing back at his ex-wife. The Olympic swimmer released a statement Wednesday denying allegations that he cheated during their seven-year marriage, calling the claims “absolutely not” true. The denial comes after Kayla Rae Reid hinted on her podcast that Lochte’s relationship with his current girlfriend began while they were still together.
“I absolutely was not unfaithful to my ex-wife,” Lochte, 41, told People in an exclusive statement. “And I have no excuse but to continue to say I have grown and learned so much from my past, and I am working on myself and my character every single day”.
The Ryan Lochte cheating allegations surfaced Monday during an episode of Reid’s podcast “The Comeback Era with Caroline and Kayla.” Reid’s co-host accidentally referred to Lochte’s girlfriend, Molly Gillihan, as the swimmer’s “mistress,” prompting Reid to make pointed comments about the timeline.
During the podcast episode released March 2, Reid suggested that Lochte and Gillihan’s relationship predated their separation. “I’m so happy for him. They’ve been happy for a very long time,” Reid said with noticeable sarcasm. “Very long time. For many years. They go way back”.
Reid also opened up about discovering messages from other women during her marriage. The 34-year-old former Playboy Playmate said women sent her evidence of Lochte messaging them, adding that “sadly, it happened a lot” and mostly when she was pregnant or postpartum.
“You’re at such a vulnerable place, you feel so uncomfortable in your own body, and you just want to feel beautiful and loved and catered to,” Reid explained. “But it’s like he was fishing elsewhere”.
She compared her experience to Khloe Kardashian’s struggles with Tristan Thompson’s infidelity, saying she “sobbed” watching Kardashian’s storyline because she related so deeply.
Lochte didn’t stop at a statement. He and Gillihan posted screenshots of their private text messages to Instagram, apparently to prove their relationship began after Reid filed for divorce.
One screenshot shows a February 2025 message from Lochte to Gillihan: “me and wife are separating, no bad blood between us, but rather tell you more on the phone then thru here 🙂 here’s my number”.
Another message from April 2025, after Reid officially filed for divorce on March 26, shows Gillihan calling Lochte “a married man.” Lochte replied, “Haha no I’m not, u did t know we’re going through the divorce right now”.
Gillihan captioned the post: “I’ll just leave this here 🙂 #liesforclickbait 💋 @ryanlochte”.
In his statement to People, Lochte defended his girlfriend: “I love Molly and the family we have so much and it breaks my heart to see Molly dragged into this because never, not one time, did Molly and I have any sort of inappropriate relationship while I was with Kayla. I reached out to Molly after I was served divorce papers and living on my own”.
Reid filed for divorce from Lochte in March 2025 after seven years of marriage. They share three children: son Caiden, 8, and daughters Liv, 6, and Georgia, 2.
At the time, Reid announced the split on Instagram, calling it “one of the most painful, revealing, and challenging seasons of my life”. Lochte responded days later, saying the decision was “the right step toward peace and well-being for us both”.
In January 2026, Lochte confirmed he had moved in with Gillihan, a 37-year-old kindergarten teacher with three children of her own. “I fell in love with someone who shares those same values,” he told People at the time. “Together, we’re a family of six kids”.
The public back-and-forth shows no signs of slowing. Gillihan posted a cryptic message on Instagram one day after Reid’s podcast aired, writing about “harsh” and “unkind people” who speak out against others. “Don’t regret being a good person to them,” she wrote. “Your actions say everything about you, and their words and actions say everything about them”.
Reid has declined further comment since her podcast appearance. For now, the dueling narratives remain, one podcast episode, one firm denial, and a digital paper trail that both sides interpret differently.
