Lee Markham, known as Malibu Fit Maxx on social media
Credit: Lee Markham/Instagram
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Lee Markham, a fitness influencer better known as Malibu Fit Maxx, revealed that he lied about sustaining an injury from an improvised explosive device while on active duty
Markham said he made the claim after receiving negative online comments about his appearance
Markham shared the update in an Instagram video on Feb. 27
Fitness influencer Malibu Fit Maxx, whose real name is Lee Markham, revealed that he lied about a past military injury.
Markham previously claimed that he suffered facial injuries related to an improvised explosive device, or IED, while on active duty. He addressed the claim — and revealed that it was false — on Instagram on Friday, Feb. 27.
“I wanted to talk to you directly about the claim that I made, taking an IED blast to the face,” he began in his video message, before saying that he is deeply proud of serving in the military between 2005 and 2010.
The influencer went on to say that negative online comments about his appearance led him to ultimately make a false claim about his time in service — something he said he deeply regrets.
“I’ve always got comments about my face and appearance. Some of them were harsh. And to be honest, I didn’t handle it well. I was new to being in the public eye and I didn’t know how to handle the criticism,” he explained.
“Instead of facing that right away, I made a bad decision and put ‘IED Survivor’ in my bio. That was not true and it was wrong. But truly I’m sorry from the bottom of my heart,” he continued.
“I have always tried to promote positivity and support for others, especially veterans. But I understand that my actions here contradict that. I take full responsibility for it,” he said later in the video, before telling his followers that he hopes to eventually regain their trust.
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“I know words alone will not fix this. Trust is earned. It’s not owed. All I can do is be honest with you guys going forward and let my actions speak for [themselves] over time,” he concluded.
Markham did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Some followers responded to his message with forgiveness and understanding.
“Apologized like a man and didn’t make excuses or keep lying — still a legend in my eyes,” one person wrote in the comments section.
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“I think I respect you more now. 🙌 Here for the journey and the vibe,” another person added, while a third person said, “Well you’re owning it and that’s great. People make mistakes. You seem to have a good heart. Forgive and forget. Let’s all move on.”
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