In Her Own Words: Marisa Simonetti on the Tarantula Incident That Made Her Infamous

Before she was the 'Tarantula Tosser,' Marisa Simonetti was building a quiet second life online. Now, more than a year after she told News Nuggets her side of the story, the courts have weighed in on their own version.

Simonetti traced the incident back to a threat she says came from a local attorney who had discovered her secret online OF (OnlyFans) persona.

"Jennie Kennedy is my OF alter ego where I was a faceless creator for a while," she said. "Last summer, while running for public office, I had a local attorney threaten to out me (have her on video); events led to a debacle where I was charged with 5th degree assault for tossing a tarantula to get her out of my home, and that is when my two brands began to blend."

Once the story broke, Simonetti told us that the label stuck instantly and globally, forcing a deliberate shift in how she positioned herself.

"Being arrested and labeled the 'Tarantula Tosser' put both my stage name and political career all over international news. It was the pivotal moment where I began to soften my brand to even more GND," she said.

She was candid about how the fallout wasn't easy to weather personally, even as she publicly held her ground and pushed back against the idea that the incident should have disqualified her from public life or from owning her image. "While a public official with an OnlyFans account may not have been done before, it does not mean that it can't be done. Why can't women be beautiful and also politically involved? There are enough people who want to push women down and I don't accept that. Personally, I was pretty depressed much of the summer but kept trudging forward," she said.

What the Complaint Alleges

According to MPR News, July 2, 2026, the complaint additionally alleged that Simonetti yelled: "This is why you never f*&% with Marisa Simonetti."

The Sentence

According to CBS Minnesota, which published on July 7, 2026, Simonetti will serve her sentence on school/work release, and must also serve two years of probation and write an apology letter to the victim. CBS Minnesota reported that a jury found her guilty of domestic assault, harassment, and disorderly conduct, though the final count was not adjudicated.

Also according to MPR News, Simonetti was convicted on one count of gross misdemeanor harassment and one count of misdemeanor domestic assault, and was sentenced to three months in the Hennepin County workhouse with work release allowed.

A Pattern With Politics

Simonetti's history with electoral politics is persistent. CBS Minnesota notes that she ran twice for a seat on the Hennepin County Commission in 2024.

MPR News reported that during the 2024 campaign, news of the tarantula incident broke, and the Republican Party in the 3rd Congressional District revoked its endorsement of her candidacy. She ultimately received almost 32 percent of the vote.

Simonetti issued a statement on the day of sentencing addressing her decision to remain in the Senate race. "Many Minnesotans feel the system is unfair and that the law is weaponized to punch them down into compliance, and that legal tricks are used to rob them of their constitutional rights," she said. "I am staying in the Senate race and will not be bullied out of it." MPR News also confirmed she is on Minnesota's ballot as an independent candidate for U.S. Senate.

What Now...

Despite the conviction and sentence that came more than a year after she spoke with News Nuggets, Simonetti maintained that the episode ultimately redirected her toward the identity she now presents publicly. "Looking back, it was the best thing that could have happened to me as it pushed me into my current brand today. I've learned to lean into those sticky ick moments and turn them into gold," she said.