Michelle Young Reveals Whether She & Nayte Olukoya Returned the $200K

Getty Images Michelle Young reveals the deal with the money that she and Nayte Olukoya were gifted.

Michelle Young and Nayte Olukoya ended their engagement just a few months after they went public as a couple. The two, who met and fell in love on Young’s season of “The Bachelorette,” announced their split on their respective Instagram accounts on June 17, 2022.

“To those who have supported Nayte and I, including Bachelor Nation, I know I speak for the both of us when saying having a relationship in the public eye has not been easy,” Michelle wrote in a statement posted to her Instagram Stories. “I’m struggling to say that Nayte and I will be going our separate ways but I stand with him in knowing the heaviness that is present in both of our hearts as this relationship has been very real for us,” the statement continued.

“Michelle and I are going to move forward separately. Hearts are heavy, emotions are high, and we are dealing with this the best way we can. Michelle and I are naturally private people, and when it comes to this break up, we will continue being so. However, when I do want to share with you all is that this was real. We genuinely fell in love,” part of Olukoya’s statement read.

Now that the two have ended their relationship, there are some logistical things that fans have been wondering about.

Here’s what you need to know:

Young Will Return Her Engagement Ring

As is the case with any “Bachelor” franchise couples who split within two years of their respective show ending, Young will need to return the engagement ring. The ring is a pear-shaped Neil Lane Couture bauble, according to People.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2016, former franchise host Chris Harrison revealed that couples need to give the ring back if things don’t work out.

“The rings I actually have at home. They’re on a necklace and I’ll where it around sometimes. I’ll wear it out [and] I have, like, 20 different engagement rings,” Harrison joked before revealing the real answer.

“There’s some rule — I don’t know what it is, honestly, what the contract is. But after a certain number years, whatever, you get to keep it anyway,” Harrison said. He explained that if a relationship only lasts “months,” the ring has to be returned.

According to Us Weekly, former “Bachelorette” lead Ali Manno shared a bit about her contract during an interview in 2020.

“[Roberto Martinez and I were together for] 18 months and the reason I know that so well is because I remember they wanted to, like, take my engagement ring away. And I was like, ‘No, this is part of my history, like, this is mine, you cannot have it!’ Per the contract, it was supposed to be two years, but they let me keep it,” she said.

Young & Olukoya Will Keep the $200K Gift That Producers Gave Them to Buy a Home

During the “After the Final Rose,” Young and Olukoya were presented with a check for $200,000. The money was meant to be a downpayment on the then-couple’s first home. At the time, Olukoya was planning on moving from Austin, Texas, to Young’s home state of Minnesota — though they didn’t make it that far.

After the two split, several fans wondered if Young and Olukoya would need to return the money along with the ring. And while the franchise has been mum on the fan questions, Young revealed the answer during an interview on the “Almost Famous” podcast.

Ashley Iaconetti asked Young what happened with the money and asked her if she was forced to return it. Young said that the money was a “gift” and she and Olukoya did not have to return it.

“That was money that was gifted to both of us. And I think that’s something that, you know, is gonna be decided how that’s going to be utilized going forward. For me, personally, you know, I haven’t officially decided, but, you know, I’ve been putting some things in place to give back, you know? To build an organization or, you know, promote the change I’ve been talking about,” Young said on the July 5, 2022, episode of the podcast.

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