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When it comes to 90 Day Fiancé, fans are used to being on the lookout for catfish, fakers, and sugar daddy situations. So perhaps it’s no surprise that some fans are feeling doubtful about new couple Michael Jessen and Juliana Custodio. 

Jessen, who is 42, almost twice Custodio’s 23, says it’s not about money or anything sleazy. In fact, he says the couple is truly in love. The two seem to be aware of what fans might assume, and so they’ve decided to speak out about their relationship. 

How the couple met 

It seems as if Michael Jessen has quite a few serious connections. According to the new 90 Day Fiancé star, he met Juliana Custodio during a yacht party hosted by his friend in Croatia. And he’s quick to point out the abundance of famous people involved.

“My fiancée’s name is Juliana. She’s from Goiania, Brazil. Juliana and I met on a big yacht party that a friend of mine was throwing in Croatia. There were a lot of celebrities there,” explained Jessen to People. Make sure you’re properly impressed. 

Jessen continued, “I remember when I first saw her. She’s beautiful, amazing body — I don’t necessarily believe in love at first sight, but it’s like we were kindred spirits.”

According to Jessen, he soon realized Custodio was more than just a pretty face. Jessen says “she’s funny, she’s thoughtful, she’s smart.”

A wine entrepreneur and an aspiring model

So what is it that Michael Jessen does exactly? SoapDirt reports that Jessen is a successful musician. Jessen has also expressed a devoted interest in wine, and has referred to himself as a wine entrepreneur. 

Meanwhile, Juliana Custodio aims to begin a career modeling. This isn’t the first time 90 Day Fiancé fans have encountered a new cast member who plans to pursue modeling as a career. In fact, Jeniffer Tarazona aimed to accomplish the same goal just last season. 

Both Jessen and Custodio have been married in the past. While Custodio has no children and was only married for 11 months, Jessen’s story is different. Jessen was previously married for twelve years and has two children, all under the age of 13. 

Surely, fans are curious to see whether Custodio will be willing to adapt to a new life as a step-mother in Connecticut, as opposed to her current lifestyle traveling and partying across the world. However, the couple has expressed that they truly love one another. Jessen seems determined to convince fans that he’s not a sleazy old man, and that Custodio isn’t a gold digger. 

Clapping back at fans

Michael Jessen is fully aware of how his relationship with Juliana Custodio must appear to 90 Day Fiancé fans. 

During an interview with E! News, Jessen said, “It’s never bothered me at all because living in it, I understand it. And if I could understand from an outsider’s perspective there would be many judgments that people would leap to and that doesn’t bother me one bit. People are welcome to think, feel what they want to. We’re together, we love each other, it’s very much real.”

“We’ve made a very big decision to spend the rest of our lives together. The only person I care about when it comes to how they feel about our relationship is Juliana,” Jessen continued.

“When I saw his green eyes and smile, I just melted. I really wanted to talk to him, but I couldn’t speak English at this time,” Custodio said of their first encounter.

What do you think? Are Custodio and Jessen both in it for love, or is Custodio hoping to find funding for her modeling career?

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