Rob Rausch: The Complete Story — Snake Wrangler, Love Island Star, Traitors Season 4 Winner, and the Girlfriend

He said no to casting twice. He lives in a two-bedroom trailer without TV or internet. He showed up in denim overalls, charmed an entire castle full of celebrities, lied to every single one of them, and walked away with $220,800. This is the full story of Rob Rausch.

On February 26, 2026, the finale of The Traitors Season 4 on Peacock crowned its most cunning, most charming, and most quietly ruthless winner in the show’s American history: a 27-year-old snake wrangler from Florence, Alabama named Rob Rausch.

Within minutes of the finale airing, the internet erupted. Fan accounts were flooded. TikTok comment sections were simultaneously devastated, impressed, and head-over-heels in love. Gossip blogs were digging into his personal life. And everyone — from first-time viewers to die-hard Love Island stans who had been following Rob for years — was asking the same questions: Who is Rob Rausch really? Where did he come from? Is he actually dating someone? And how on earth did a quiet guy from Alabama who doesn’t even own a television become the most compelling reality TV personality of the year?

Rob Rausch: The Basic Facts

Before diving into the full story, here is a quick-reference breakdown of everything fans want to know about Rob Rausch at a glance.

Robert Kelley Wilson Rausch was born on September 1, 1998, in Florence, Alabama. He is currently 27 years old, making him a Virgo — a sign known for being practical, analytical, and detail-oriented. Traits that, as it turns out, are very helpful in a game like The Traitors.

His father is a photographer and luxury designer. Rausch has two sisters and one brother. He attended the University of North Alabama from 2017 to 2020.

As for his height, Rob stands approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall — a detail that has not gone unnoticed by fans, particularly during his shirtless overalls moments across multiple Peacock productions.

Rob’s net worth, while not officially confirmed, is estimated to be in the range of $500,000 to $1 million based on his social media income, brand deals, clothing business, snake wrangling work, and reality TV appearances — a figure that just grew significantly after pocketing $220,800 from The Traitors finale.

Growing Up in Alabama: The Foundation of a Future Fan Favorite

Rob Rausch did not grow up dreaming of reality television. He grew up dreaming of snakes.

An avid wildlife expert and snake wrangler, Rausch shares his experiences with reptiles and their habitats on social media, particularly TikTok, where he has garnered over two million followers.

Florence, Alabama — a small city on the banks of the Tennessee River in the state’s northwestern corner — is not the kind of place most people associate with reality TV stardom. It is a quiet, working-class community with deep roots in music, faith, and outdoor life. Rob grew up embedded in that culture, developing a relationship with the natural world — particularly reptiles — that became both his career and his identity.

Rausch’s life away from the cameras looks nothing like the glamour of reality television. He is from Alabama and is one of four siblings. He lives in a two-bedroom trailer without television or internet — a detail that may surprise fans who follow his exploits on screen.

That detail — a man with two million TikTok followers who does not own a television — tells you almost everything you need to know about who Rob Rausch actually is. He is not a person who was manufactured by or for the entertainment industry. He is someone with a genuine, fully formed life who stumbled sideways into reality TV and discovered, to everyone’s surprise including his own, that he was extraordinarily good at it.

Rob Rausch’s Siblings: His Brother and Sisters

Rob has two sisters and one brother. While his brother has maintained a private life largely out of public view, his sister Lily has appeared alongside Rob in the public eye in a meaningful way.

Rob created the clothing brand Creek Rat with his sister Lily. According to the shop’s website, the brand includes thrifted items that they screen print by hand and a few staples that they have manufactured.

Creek Rat is exactly the kind of brand you would expect from someone like Rob — authentically Southern, deliberately unglamorous, rooted in the kind of creative DIY culture that thrives far from the fashion capitals of the world. The fact that he built it with his sister says something important about how close he is to his family, a closeness that came into focus during The Traitors when Lily posted a TikTok of the family guessing whether Rob was a Traitor or a Faithful before the show aired — unknowingly filming evidence that would later fuel internet speculation about his girlfriend.

The Snake Wrangler: Rob’s Day Job and True Passion

Long before Rob Rausch was a household name on reality television, he was doing something far more unusual for a living: catching, handling, and wrangling snakes professionally.

Rob is a professional snake wrangler in Florence, Alabama. He uses his social media to promote his business, frequently sharing videos of him handling snakes. He even has a few snake tattoos to show his dedication.

His TikTok account, @robert_Kelley, built its two-million-plus following not on reality TV content but on genuine, often breathtaking wildlife videos — Rob in the field, handling venomous and non-venomous snakes, educating his audience about reptile behavior and habitat, and demonstrating a calm and fearless competence in situations that would send most people running. It is a compelling watch, and it built him a dedicated audience of fans who had never seen a single episode of Love Island in their lives.

The snake expertise also became something of a metaphor for Rob himself as his public profile grew. He is, people began to notice, rather snake-like in the best possible way — patient, observant, impossible to read, striking only when the moment is exactly right. When host Alan Cumming called him the best Traitor of the season, many viewers thought: of course. He wrestles venomous snakes for a living. Lying to reality TV contestants is a comparatively low-stakes affair.

Despite his double life, he still loves sharing his passion for wildlife on his social channels to his millions of followers.

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Rob Rausch on Love Island USA Season 5: The Brief Beginning

Rob didn’t pivot to reality television until 2023 when he was cast as a Casa Amor bombshell in Love Island USA Season 5.

For those unfamiliar with the format: Casa Amor is the midseason twist in Love Island in which a group of new contestants — the bombshells — are introduced to the existing couples in a separate villa, with the explicit goal of tempting the established islanders away from their partners. It is, essentially, a test of loyalty dressed up as a holiday.

His time in the Villa was a quick five days, as he didn’t manage to make a strong enough connection to be brought back to the main Villa.

Five days. That is all Rob got in Season 5. And yet, somehow, people remembered him. The quiet Alabama guy with the snake tattoos and the denim overalls made an impression that outlasted his screen time — a preview of a pattern that would define his entire reality TV career.

Rob Rausch on Love Island USA Season 6: Drama, Overalls, and Heartbreak

If Season 5 was a footnote, Season 6 was a full chapter — and one of the most eventful chapters in recent Love Island USA history.

The 27-year-old was given a second chance at love when he was brought back as an OG Islander for Season 6 in 2024. Pulled in by his elusiveness and Southern charm, Rob was a hot commodity throughout his time on the show.

He formed a quick bond with Leah Kateb, but their time together was turbulent. He was stolen from her by Australian Bombshell Liv Walker, but he and Leah were able to get back together and recouple. However, when bombshell Andrea Carmona entered the Villa, he felt they had a stronger connection and blindsided Leah, choosing to leave her to re-couple with Andrea instead.

The Leah situation made Rob one of the season’s central figures — and earned him a significant villain label from a portion of the audience. Leah Kateb was enormously popular, her friend group (known as PPG — Leah Kateb, JaNa Craig, and Serena Page) was the heart of the season, and watching Rob choose Andrea over Leah was, for many fans, genuinely painful.

During Episode 8, Rob cried during an argument and jumped into the villa pool fully clothed — a scene that quickly made the rounds among fans. Carmona was later voted off by the female contestants. Rob threatened to leave but remained until he was eliminated on Day 30.

His relationship with Andrea did not survive the show either. When he left and caught wind of Carmona’s cringey TikToks, he said they gave him the “ick.”

And then there were the overalls. Oh, the overalls.

He frequently wore his denim overalls shirtless during his summertime finding love in Fiji, and they quickly became his signature look. Love Island USA host Ariana Madix was not impressed: “It’s a lot. Listen, maybe once is fine, but I feel like this man just will not stop wearing the overalls. I am like, ‘Stop trying to make overalls a thing. It’s not a thing, it’s not going to be.'”

The overalls became a thing. They absolutely became a thing.

His fellow cast members later reunited for a spinoff called Love Island: Beyond the Villa that followed their lives together in Los Angeles in 2025. Rausch, however, did not appear.

Rob Rausch on The Traitors Season 4: The Role He Was Born to Play

Here is the part of the story that sounds almost too good to be true: Rob Rausch almost did not appear on The Traitors at all.

Rob Rausch nearly never appeared on Season 4 of The Traitors. He said no to casting — twice.

“I said no twice,” Rob told the outlet about being cast. “I didn’t really want to be on TV again, but I love games and I love competing. I have never watched any reality TV other than Survivor, and I thought this was kind of a similar vibe. I was like, ‘You know what? This could be really fun.'”

The man who turned down the opportunity twice ended up being the greatest Traitor the show has ever seen on its American edition.

Rob is the first previous contestant from Love Island to be selected as an Original Traitor internationally. He is also the only male Original Traitor on his season.

At the opening roundtable ceremony, host Alan Cumming tapped Rausch to be one of the season’s secret Traitors and the reality star couldn’t have been more thrilled with the assignment. “I’m happy as can be. I honestly think I’ll make a really good traitor,” Rausch said after being chosen. “I’m hard to read, I’ve been told that by every girl I’ve ever dated, and I’m extremely competitive. I like to win.”

He elaborated on why he believed being underestimated was his greatest asset: “I’ve been underestimated my entire life. I’m just a guy from Alabama. I catch snakes, post videos on the internet. I’m kinda quiet, but I think that’s one of my biggest strengths. When people underestimate you that’s when you catch them by surprise.”

That assessment proved correct in the most emphatic possible way.

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Rob’s Gameplay: How He Outwitted Everyone in the Castle

Throughout the season, the 27-year-old’s tactical gameplay, masterful acting abilities, and willingness to betray any player that stood in his way — including both of his fellow Original Traitors, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills’ Lisa Rinna and The Real Housewives of Potomac alum Candiace Dillard Bassett — were undeniable, which made him season four’s breakout star and the frontrunner heading into the finale.

It was through reality competition that Rausch formed a notable friendship: Rob became best friends with Aaron Evans, who won The Traitors UK Season 1.

His relationship with Maura Higgins — the Irish Love Island star known for her directness and her sharp instincts — became one of the season’s most compelling storylines. His strategic chess-playing, flirtation with Maura Higgins, friendship with fellow introvert Ron Funches, his overalls, and “commiserating” expertise made him a Season 4 standout.

And host Alan Cumming was not shy about his feelings. “I think Rob is the best traitor in this season, not just because he’s my future ex-boyfriend, I think he’s playing such a great game,” Cumming said on Watch What Happens Live! with Andy Cohen.

Rob is the first player in The Traitors USA to receive a Dagger. He is also the last standing Original Traitor of Season 4.

The Finale: Rob Wins $220,800

The fourth season of The Traitors concluded with Rob Rausch winning the Peacock competition series and taking home the $220,800 cash prize. Rausch, who entered the finale as the last remaining Original Traitor, outlasted fellow Traitor Eric Nam and Faithfuls Maura Higgins, Tara Lipinski, Johnny Weir, and Mark Ballas.

Going into the episode, the last Traitors standing were Rob and K-pop singer Eric Nam, whom Rob only recruited to join him days before the finale. It was revealed at the top of the finale that Rob and Eric had chosen to murder Mark.

Rob and Maura secretly made a pact to vote out Tara and then Eric, meaning Maura betrayed her fellow Faithful Tara and Rob turned on his fellow Traitor Eric, who made a final plea for Maura to consider Rob as a Traitor. “There’s something not right here. Eric has to be the Traitor,” Maura said in a confessional. “It can’t be Rob, right?” She ultimately did side with Rob, leaving the Love Island stars as the final two — and Rob as the automatic winner.

When the moment of reveal arrived and Rob finally told Maura the truth, her reaction was priceless. “I’m so sorry, I’m a Traitor. I’m serious. The whole game I’ve been a Traitor,” Rob told her. Maura responded: “I was so fooled by you. You absolute a**hole. You pinky-promised!”

And when it came to betraying Eric, Rob mused: “Would you give $100,000 to someone you met three weeks ago? I wouldn’t.”

“I have a weird mix of emotions right now,” Rob told host Alan Cumming after being crowned. “I’ve won but I’ve also betrayed the person I was closest to in the game.”

Rob Rausch’s Girlfriend: Who Is He Dating?

This is the question the internet cannot stop asking — and after the finale aired, Rob himself gave fans their first real confirmation that there is indeed someone special in his life.

In a post-finale interview, Rausch confirmed he has a girlfriend from his hometown in Alabama, but chose to keep her identity private. “I’m currently working on a woodworking project for my partner,” he shared, giving fans just a small and endearing glimpse of his romantic life.

That confirmation sent the internet into full detective mode — and the gossip accounts had already been on the case.

Deuxmoi received tips of Rob being spotted at Woodside, a members’ club in Kansas City, with a woman he introduced as his girlfriend. One source confirmed: “It’s his girlfriend. He introduced her to my friend in Kansas City as such!”

A source told Deuxmoi that his “girlfriend is very private, she’s not an influencer or model, and can confirm she lives in KC.” And prior to this sighting, a source reported that “Rob was at a coffee shop in Kansas City Monday morning — Blip Roasters in the West Bottoms — with said girl he’s been seen with in KC.”

According to TikTok account Bravo Breaking News by Kim, Rob Rausch’s girlfriend is allegedly a girl named Chloe from Kansas City. The account revealed that Chloe is about 21 or 22 years old and works as an esthetician. The TikToker also pointed out that Chloe had appeared in one of Rob’s sister Lily’s TikToks, where his family members guessed whether Rob was a Traitor or a Faithful before the show aired.

That family TikTok detail is particularly significant — appearing in a family video is not something you do casually. It suggests that whoever this young woman is, she has already been introduced to and accepted by Rob’s family, which, for a man as private and grounded as Rob Rausch, means something.

Deuxmoi, who received photographic evidence of the purported couple, opted to redact his girlfriend’s name for her privacy and safety — a decision that reflects the fact that she is a private individual who has not sought public attention.

As of the time of writing, Rob has not publicly confirmed her full name or shared photographs of her on his own platforms — entirely consistent with the private, deliberately low-key approach to personal life he has maintained throughout his time in the public eye.

The Maura Higgins Situation: Chemistry the Whole World Saw

No discussion of Rob Rausch’s romantic life in early 2026 would be complete without addressing the elephant — or perhaps the snake — in the room: his electric on-screen chemistry with Irish Love Island star Maura Higgins.

From the moment the two ended up in the same Scottish castle, the audience could see it. Maura, known for her unapologetic honesty and electric energy, and Rob, the quiet, slow-burning Southerner with the devastating smile, made for one of the most naturally compelling pairings the show has ever produced.

Dorinda Medley told Page Six: “They must procreate. They would have the most gorgeous children: smart, beautiful, athletic.” She added that she considered it “an obligation to the world as far as I’m concerned.”

The finale, of course, revealed the full picture: Rob had been lying to Maura for the entire game. Her reaction — furious, heartbroken, then grudgingly impressed — captured everything about why their dynamic was so watchable. Whether any real romantic feelings existed between them remains known only to the two of them. But the chemistry was undeniable, and the fan shipping was ferocious.

Rob Rausch Beyond Reality TV: Music, Videos, and Hidden Depths

One of the most surprising things about Rob Rausch, for viewers who discovered him through The Traitors, is the breadth of what he has been doing quietly outside the reality TV world.

Rausch is outspoken about his love for musician Beabadoobee, which he references on Love Island USA. He’s also something of a male video vixen, appearing in Nessa Barrett’s music video for “Passenger Princess” and Dasha’s “Like It Like That.”

He has also appeared in the 2025 project Maintenance Required.

These are not the career choices of someone passively riding the reality TV wave. They are the moves of a young man who is genuinely curious, actively building something, and doing it on his own terms — which, when you think about it, is exactly the same approach he took to The Traitors.

What Makes Rob Rausch Different: A Final Assessment

At the end of all of this — the snake wrangling and the overalls, the Love Island drama and the Traitors triumph, the mystery girlfriend and the woodworking project — what makes Rob Rausch so genuinely compelling is something simple and increasingly rare in the world of reality television: he is exactly who he says he is.

He does not own a television. He lives in a trailer. He builds things with his hands for the people he loves. He catches snakes. He wears denim overalls and does not care what anyone thinks about it. He turned down the biggest show on Peacock twice before agreeing to do it, and then won it in the most dominant fashion the show has seen.

He is, as he said himself, just a guy from Alabama. And that, it turns out, is exactly enough.

Quick Facts Summary