Mon Jul 14 02:40:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided information:

**Headline: Amaya and Bryan Crowned Winners of ‘Love Island USA’ Season 7 Amid Controversy**

**Los Angeles, CA –** Amaya Espinal and Bryan Arenales have emerged as America’s favorite couple, winning Season 7 of “Love Island USA” and splitting the $100,000 prize. The finale, which aired on July 13th, capped off a season filled with romance, competition, and unexpected drama, though marred by controversy surrounding contestants’ past social media activity.

Nic Vansteenberghe and Olandria Carthen secured the runner-up spot, with viewers casting their votes via the Peacock app. Iris Kendall and Pepe Garcia-Gonzalez and Huda Mustafa and Chris Seeley also competed in the finale.

The season finale was preceded by the dumping of Day 1 islanders Chelley Bissainthe and Ace Greene from the villa. The reunion episode is slated to drop Monday, Aug. 25, at 9 p.m. ET.

However, Season 7 was overshadowed by the abrupt departures of two contestants due to past offensive online behavior. Yulissa Escobar, a starting cast member, exited the show early on, with minimal explanation given to viewers. Later, Cierra Ortega, part of a strong couple with Vansteenberghe, was also removed.

It emerged that Escobar had previously used a racial slur on a podcast, prompting online backlash and a subsequent apology. Similarly, Ortega faced scrutiny after screenshots of Instagram posts surfaced containing a racial slur against people of Asian descent. Her family alleged the online uproar included reports to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“Love Island USA” addressed the controversy with on-air and social media messages condemning cyberbullying, harassment, and hate. Ortega has since released an apology video.

Despite the controversies, “Love Island” continues to expand its presence, with the launch of the spinoff series “Love Island: Beyond the Villa,” featuring stars from Season 6, including JaNa Craig, Kenny Rodriguez, Leah Kateb, Miguel Harichi, Serena Page, Kaylor Martin and Aaron Evans.

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