Nick Lachey Says Kim Kardashian Used Him For Fame; 98 Degrees Frontman Says She Called Paparazzi To Capture Date

Was Nick Lachey part a pawn in Kim Kardashian's quest for fame?

She briefly dated the 98 Degrees frontman in 2006, and Lachey is now claiming that she was merely trying to use him for photo ops. Of course, everything is coming full circle now that he's far less famous than Kardashian and dishing the dirt in the hopes of riding her coattails this time.

Lachey claims that despite quietly going to a movie together on an early date, he and Kim were swarmed by photographers when they left the theater.

"Let's just say this: We went to a movie. No one followed us there. Somehow, mysteriously, when we left, there were 30 photographers waiting for us outside," he said in the latest issue of Details. "There are certain ways to play this game and some people play it well."

In her 2010 book Kardashian Konfidential, Kardashian acknowledged that there were plenty of paparazzi for that first date. However, she attributed it to his celebrity and recent divorce from Jessica Simpson, denying that she had any involvement in the media coverage.

"Of course the paparazzi took pictures, because people were curious about who he was with," she wrote. "The next night I was out with Paris Hilton... usually they would shout, Paris! Paris! Paris!'... but they started yelling 'Kim! Kim! Kim!' I wanted to hide, and Paris and I just looked at each other and laughed."

Kardashian has not publicly commented on Lachey's recent accusation, deciding that she simply doesn't want to give her less famous exes the publicity they so desperately crave. Lachey is now married to Vanessa Minnillo and has a child with her, while Kardashian is six months pregnant with Kanye West's baby.