Melbourne man pleads guilty to Grindr extortion of man with fiancée
Image: Image: 9 News.
Melbourne man Timothy Ruge has plead guilty to charges stemming from the alleged extortion of $1300 from a closeted man he met using Grindr.
34-year-old Ruge was charged in May of this year after he allegedly threatened to contact the man’s fiancée were he not paid.
More details of Ruge’s alleged extortion efforts have now emerged following his pleading guilty to making an unwarranted demand for money with menaces, The Age reported.
Court documents show that the alleged incident occurred in March, with the victim reportedly saying he was using the app to “chat and flirt” when he tapped on Ruge’s profile and messaged him.
Ruge responded, “She’s pretty, you cheating bastard,” along with an image of the unnamed man’s fiancée.
The documents show that the victim apologised before Ruge set out to extort money from him.
“Cardless cash me $500 now, then $500 in 30 mins ARE WE CLEAR,” Ruge messaged, before saying, “And I vanish”.
The victim apparently tried to transfer $200 to Ruge but said the program he tried to use “kept crashing”.
‘The victim told Ruge that his fiancée “handles all my money”, to which Ruge allegedly responded, ‘‘Tick tock I’ll ask her for it then shall I. Tick tock.”
Ruge and the man arranged to meet up at Southern Cross Station where the victim gave Ruge $200 and Ruge allegedly erased the messages.
The documents claim Ruge allegedly messaged the victim again later that day to demand a further $300.
Ruge’s apartment was searched by police on May 3 and he was taken into custody the next day. He is currently out on bail.
“I went home feeling like shit. I was freaking out my missus was going to find out,” the statement from the victim said.
“I am still on my toes. I still feel helpless and confused.”
Ruge previously told the AAP that the alleged incident involved “unfortunate circumstances.”
He is currently out on bail and due back in court in November for a plea hearing ahead of sentencing.
