What happened with Sawyer Hemsley and Robert Sepulveda? Leaked DMs controversy explained as Crumbl co-founder comes out

Sawyer Hemsley, the co-founder of the popular chain Crumbl Cookies, came out as gay on August 26, 2025. He wrote a lengthy coming-out message on Instagram, saying that certain people, seemingly referring to Robert Sepulveda, were trying to "define" him by "twisting things" and by sharing private messages.

Sawyer said that instead of letting others "write" his story by speculating his sexuality, he had decided to come out by himself. The popular chain's co-founder said that it took him years to "process" his sexuality and become comfortable with it.

"The truth is, over the past few years I've come to understand and accept that I'm gay. It's taken me a long time to really process this part of myself and even longer to feel comfortable enough to say it out loud. For most of my life, I didn't have the clarity to answer the questions or respond to the rumors," Sawyer wrote.

This announcement was posted after Robert Sepulveda, a popular internet personality and former model, shared the texts he shared with Sawyer on a TikTok on the same day, hours before Hemsley officially came out.

Robert Sepulveda, who has over 278,000 followers on TikTok and more than 127,000 followers on Instagram, shared private texts, saying that he had "receipts" proving that Sawyer was gay. The screenshots showed that in October 2024, Sawyer Hemsley DM'd Robert on Instagram.

The two men chatted and sometimes shared pictures. Sawyer Hemsley allegedly sent him a jockstrap photo in December 2024, which led to Robert Sepulveda replying that he was looking for a relationship that was "substantial and meaningful," and he did not appreciate such pictures.

"I'm sure you can share photos like these with others who might appreciate them, but they don't resonate with me. I'm at a different stage in life, seeking something more substantial and meaningful. Unless you're looking for a serious connection, I suggest sharing those with someone else," Robert Sepulveda wrote.

According to the former model, Sawyer did not talk to him after that day.

Robert Sepulveda responded to people accusing him of reportedly outing Sawyer Hemsley

Soon after, news outlets reported Sawyer Hemsley's Instagram post and his coming out, Robert Sepulveda posted a second TikTok regarding the Crumbl Cookies co-founder.

Robert Sepulveda included a screenshot of an article that accused him of reportedly outing Hemsley. Then the internet personality attacked the author of the article, saying that he did not out Sawyer Hemsley. Sepulveda claimed that the rumor of Sawyer being gay has been discussed on TikTok and X (formerly known as Twitter) for months.

"I did not out anyone. This story has been roaming around Twitter and if you go on TikTok, for months people have been saying the same exact thing. So for you to tell people that I outed Sawyer, it's a f**king lie," Sepulveda said.

Robert Sepulveda went through the article's author's Instagram account and ended his TikTok advising them to "lose weight."

Jason McGowan and Sawyer Hemsley, who is McGowan's wife's cousin, founded Crumbl Cookies in 2017. Around 2021, the chain went massively viral on TikTok for its unique recipes and dessert menu that changes every week.