The whole tale reminded me of the case of George Santos (Or, Scamtos, as he's known since then). Regardless of the facts, the way this ended up is tragic.
Regarding the tragedy, grandiose narcissists usually have very vulnerable egos and cannot bear exposure. Their entire notion of self is held together by their grandiosity.
The tragic part is that most narcissists are produced by a bad childhood, starved of approval and safety.