Onijah Robinson, the woman who was stranded in Pakistan after traveling from New York to see a man she met online, is now back in the U.S. six months later — and she’s explaining what happened to her overseas.

The 33-year-old New Yorker shared her story when TMZ caught up with her at Brooklyn Chop House Steakhouse. Several media outlets shared videos of Robinson after she was spotted in New York.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Onijah Robinson is seen on April 03, 2025 in New York City. — Photo by Johnny Nunez/GC Images

Robinson went viral in 2024 after she traveled to Pakistan to get married, but her fiancé’s family forbade the union, leaving her stuck overseas.

#Exclusive Video: #OnijahRobinson, the woman who went viral for Pakistan marriage trip is back in #NYC 😱 pic.twitter.com/2TzWeofWkd
— TMZ (@TMZ) April 4, 2025

Back in New York, she was caught by celebrity photographer Johnny Nunez, who also spoke with her.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Johnny Nunez (@johnnynunez)

Why did Onijah Robinson travel to Pakistan?

According to TMZ, Robinson traveled to Pakistan to marry 19-year-old Nidal Ahmed Memon after the pair met online. However, the trip appeared to present significant challenges that led to Robinson going viral. Reports indicated that Memon refused to marry her after learning she used filters online to make herself appear as a white woman with blonde hair. A report from The Root said that Memon’s family disapproved of the marriage to the American woman and took him into hiding. Meanwhile, Robinson’s visa allegedly expired while she remained in Pakistan. The 33-year-old told The Shade Room that she stayed in Pakistan due to a certain situation.

As Blavity previously reported, Robinson held a press conference with media in Pakistan while she was stranded and demanded money from the government.

“I’m asking for 100K or more. I need 20K by this week, in my pockets, in cash,” she said.

What is Onijah Robinson saying about her trip to Pakistan?

Robinson told TMZ that she would not explain how she got out of Pakistan. But she also revealed that she ended up getting married after all. Although she didn’t share many details, Robinson told The Shade Room that she married a man she met on the internet and they “had a romantic date.”

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: Onijah Robinson is seen on April 03, 2025 in New York City. — Photo by Johnny Nunez/GC Images

Regarding rumors about her being arrested in Dubai, Robinson told TMZ that she was never jailed.

Pakistan

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week