Gail "Yovanna" Momplaisir was a mere side note during a season of major squabbles and major life changes for women of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.”

But she became front and center for a good portion of part three of the virtual reunion.

Why?

She had become friends with NeNe Leakes and then entered the lives of the other women while season 12 was happening. At some point, NeNe claimed someone had audio of her former best friend Cynthia Bailey talking smack about NeNe.

In a way, this was a non-starter of a controversy because Cynthia had already talked smack about NeNe on the show and in media interviews so this was not exactly a revelation.

But the “Real Housewives” producers flogged this so-called “Snakegate” pretty hard. Was there an audio tape or not? And who did it?

Eva Marcille thought it was recurring cast member Marlo Hampton. Others fingered Yovanna, who denied multiple times on the show she had taped anybody.

Eventually, Yovanna went away and the so-called controversy died.

But during part two of the reunion, when host Andy Cohen showed a video of Kenya Moore and Cynthia Bailey, NeNe left her computer and didn’t come back.

At the time, Yovanna had gone on Instagram to tease she was about to spill some tea.

So when Yovanna did come on the reunion with NeNe absent, she offered up a bombshell claim: She said NeNe had directed Yovanna to tape other cast members and catch them making negative comments about NeNe. “A snitch” is how Kandi Burruss described it.

Yovanna claimed on the reunion that she never taped anybody because it wasn’t in her morals to do so. But she also lied to NeNe, never telling her the truth that she had no actual audio receipts.

Some of the women scoffed at Yovanna’s claims. Kandi found her actions reprehensible because she felt Yovanna had befriended them under false pretenses. Yovanna said  her interactions were genuine and that she did not meet up with any of the women except Cynthia after NeNe made the request.

Cynthia decided Yovanna had more credibility because NeNe had left the virtual building.

Right now on the cast, NeNe only has Porsha Williams as a good friend with part-timer Marlo on her side as well.

NeNe told Wendy Williams iin January after the season's taping ended that she didn't want to be on the show anymore. So it's unclear after this reunion debacle whether a season 13 is in the offing for NeNe, the only original "housewife" cast member left on the show.

TMZ is also reporting that Yovanna is returning next season as an official cast member.

Sources tell TMZ that “producers invited Yovanna to sign on for season 13 as an official cast member.”

Staff writers with TMZ go on to say, “We're told the contracts went out to all the ladies after they filmed the reunion.”

>>More on the 'RHOA' season 12 reunion recap on AJC.com.