Chloe Elise built a career teaching women how to master their money. While she was helping an audience of more than 500,000 build wealth, the man she planned to marry was quietly draining her bank accounts.
Over five years, she estimates she lost nearly $100,000 to a partner who forged documents, sold her belongings and even had her sister pay for her engagement ring, according to an interview with Marie Claire.
The situation raises an uncomfortable question: If a money expert can miss the signs of financial infidelity, could it happen to anyone?
Ignoring the red flags
Six months into dating, Elise encountered the first major red flag. Her partner said he needed help covering a car loan payment because he had lost his credit card. Wanting to help him avoid a payday loan, she handed over her debit card.
He emptied her $7,000 emergency fund at ATMs across town.
In hindsight, the numbers were concerning. But after he admitted to a gambling addiction and promised to repay her, the situation felt less like betrayal and more like a crisis. Elise later said she felt she would be a “bad human” if she left him while he was struggling.
For many couples, that tension is real. Financial warning signs do not automatically override loyalty, hope or empathy. Those emotions can delay action long after the numbers stop making sense.
Deception in the engagement
The financial problems escalated. Elise says her partner forged confirmation emails showing that debts were paid off. Financial progress mattered deeply to her, and those documents appeared to show change. She even threw a party celebrating his supposed debt freedom. Later, she learned the debts had not been paid.
The engagement brought another shock. The day after a public proposal, he told her she would need to Venmo her sister to cover the cost of the ring. He had told her sister he did not want the charge visible in his account.
Elise has said it became increasingly difficult to be honest with her online community while the deception continued at home. Shame and confusion can make even financially confident people question their own judgment.
The financial toll
When Elise finally ended the relationship, she documented everything. She assembled bank statements, text messages, forged payoff confirmations and transaction histories.
The records were not just for potential legal protection. After years of being told she was misplacing items that were actually being sold, the documentation helped her separate facts from manipulation.
By the time she left, the financial damage was extensive. She never recovered the money. Still, she has said she was relieved to be free.
Could she have seen the signs?
Looking strictly at the financial facts, the warning signs were there. A drained emergency fund. Repeated job instability. Hidden transactions. Forged confirmations.
But Elise’s story suggests that financial literacy alone is not a defense against emotional manipulation. You can understand how money works and still struggle when trust and attachment are involved.
Knowledge explains a bank statement. It does not always protect you from someone who knows how to exploit empathy and guilt.
Protecting your own financial power
Elise eventually rebuilt her life. She became a multi-millionaire by age 30 and later married someone she says she can trust.
Her experience reshaped how she defines financial independence. For her, it is no longer just about retirement or net worth. It is about having the financial power to leave a bad situation without hesitation.
You do not need to be a money expert to protect yourself. In some cases, being financially responsible can make you more likely to step in and try to “fix” someone else’s crisis.
- Keep a separate account: Maintain a savings account in your name only. This gives you options if a relationship becomes unhealthy.
- Monitor your credit: Check your credit report regularly to ensure no one is opening accounts or taking out loans in your name.
- Verify major claims: If a partner says a debt is paid, ask to see official confirmation from the lender, not just a forwarded email.
- Watch for avoidance: A partner who dodges money conversations or hides spending early on may be signaling deeper problems.
- Define your boundaries: Decide in advance what level of financial dishonesty is a dealbreaker for you.
Financial infidelity can take many forms. Elise’s experience shows that expertise does not make someone immune. What it can do, however, is provide the tools to limit damage and rebuild once the truth becomes clear.
If you have over $100,000 in savings, consider getting private advice from a pro to protect your finances. SmartAsset offers a free service that matches you to a vetted, fiduciary advisor in less than 5 minutes.
offers a free service that matches you to a vetted, fiduciary advisor in less than 5 minutes.