In a 2001 interview, Velez addressed the persistent rumors, stating she had moved on and accepted that such things "can happen to a lot of people".

Some accounts suggest it was leaked deliberately, while others claim it was later confiscated by authorities to protect those involved.

Before becoming the subject of decades-long rumors, Vivian Velez, dubbed "Ms. Body Beautiful," and Rodolfo "Rudy" Fariñas had a publicized relationship during the late 1970s. At the time, Fariñas was a law student at , where he was known as a brilliant but "problem child" student who topped exams despite frequent absences.