A 24-year-old woman says her quiet, camera-shy coworker turned out to be living a life straight out of a music video—private jets, luxury cars, and a house with a basketball court. He's not her boss. He's not even in leadership. He's just the guy on her project team who, as she put it, is "nearly a ghost" during remote work.
She posted the story anonymously in the coworkerstories subreddit, explaining how her job in marketing and sales only brings staff into the office a few times a month. Most of the time, her team collaborates remotely, and the man she worked with—28 years old and known to the team for being quiet—barely spoke unless called on.
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That changed during a long project. The two spent more time in video meetings and bonded over mutual interests. Eventually, she asked about his absence from social media, which coworkers had noticed. After some hesitation, he admitted he was on it—but under strict privacy settings—and made her promise not to tell anyone what she'd find.
What she found was surprising. "Turns out he runs a company and works with us [because] he's bored," she wrote. His page was filled with images of vacations, upscale parties, a private jet, and what appeared to be a $7 to $10 million home complete with a full basketball court. She also mentioned he drove a "new 100k ish BMW."
Reactions were mixed. Some questioned the ethics of her sharing the story online at all. Others pointed out how easy it is today to fake a lifestyle on social media, especially in an era of AI-generated backdrops, influencer rentals, and leased luxury goods.
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"It may be a lease car, and his social media like all that fake, curated influencer BS," one commenter said. Another added, "Looks like it might be working on you."
From a financial perspective, it raises a broader point: appearances online are easier than ever to manipulate. Flashy photos don't always mean real wealth. Airbnb mansions can look like primary residences. Jets can be chartered—or even just visited on a tarmac for content. And cars that appear owned may be leased with a down payment and a few well-timed filters.
Still, others said that while it may seem implausible, it's not impossible. Some high-income individuals do take on everyday jobs for routine, structure, or the social interaction that remote entrepreneurship can't provide.
Whether real or exaggerated, the situation clearly rattled the poster. "It's crazy my quiet coworker is over here living a whole other secret life," she wrote. "So yeah, you never know who you're working with."
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