Rugby league star and current media personality Beau Ryan claims to know the identity of the player at the centre of nude pic sextortion attempt.
An NRL star who was blackmailed over a lewd image he sent to a catfish social media account was forced to send frantic texts to friends and family members to alert them to the situation.
The Sydney-based player, who is single, sent a nude picture to an account on social media.
Whoever was behind the account then threatened that they would send the photo to the star’s friends and family if he did not transfer $5,000, according to the Sydney Morning Herald.
But the player refused to be blackmailed and the account duly sent the image to several of his mates and loved ones.
Speaking with Kyle and Jackie O on the KIIIS network on Friday morning, Ryan confirmed that he had been clued in to the identity of the NRL star.
‘I haven’t seen the photo but I do know who it is,’ he said.
Beau joked that his wife Kara (pictured together) threatens to release naked pictures of him ‘all the time’ but never follows through
KIIS radio stars Kyle and Jackie O grilled Ryan over the incident and tried to get him to release the name of the player
However, Ryan’s mate then sent a second name, creating confusion and the reason why the former Wests Tigers and Cronulla Sharks winger does not want to identify them.
‘I sent [a message] to my mate … asking who this is … and he sent me back two names,’ he said.
‘He sent back one, then he said hang on, I think it’s this guy.’
‘So I’m not entirely sure, it would be wrong to say.’
Ryan did defend the player, though, while condemning the person responsible for the extortion attempt.
‘What’s happened is, he’s speaking to someone online and she sent a photo and he’s sent one back,’ he said.
‘It’s consensual. Which she did, that’s revenge porn.
‘If the shoe was on the other foot and the rugby league guy did that to the girl, it’s become a lot more serious. ‘
The hosts then joked that the player could be 63-year-old Canberra Raiders legend Mal Meninga.
‘It’s not Mal Meninga,’ Ryan said.
The player at the centre of the extortion attempt is Sydney-based and currently playing in the NRL while Meninga is a proud Queenslander and long retired.
When the panel asked Ryan if women had ever tried to extort him in the past, he joked that his wife Kara had also threatened to release his naked pictures.
‘My wife threatens me all the time,’ he laughed.
The player was forced to send text messages to friends and family members to alert them to the blackmail attempt
Police told the club they believed the account was someone overseas attempting to extort the NRL player
Panicked, he told his club who in turn contacted the police. They recommended he tell his friends to report the account for sexual harassment.
The star also phoned his parents to explain the predicament.
‘Hey this is mad awkward but [account holder] is sending a photo of my d*** around trying to get money out of me and sent it to you,’ the player said in a private message to one of his friends on Monday.
‘Would you be able to report them for sexual harassment? Might help. Sorry bout (sic) this but would be greatly appreciated x.’
Police told the club they believed the account was someone overseas attempting to extort the NRL player. The account has since been shut down.
‘The matter has been reported to police and the relevant social media companies,’ a club spokesperson told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘It’s important to note the player has been the victim here. It appears that this sort of incident is occurring on a regular basis to people across society.’
It comes just a week after dozens of AFL players were caught up in another nude photo scandal that rocked Australian sport.
A Google drive contains a list of player names with folders of images purporting to be them
A mass leak of private and personal images purportedly featuring more than 45 current and former AFL players is being investigated by the league and police.
A Google Drive file claiming to contain images of stars past and present has been shared, showing screenshots, photos and videos claiming to be of AFL players including Brownlow medallists.
A number of clubs are understood to have contacted the AFL when the images started circulating.
Police are investigating the incident.
‘There appears to have been significant work involved in gathering the images and creating files for distribution,’ an AFL statement read, in part.
‘The AFL has no information regarding why the personal images have been circulated illegally and without consent or what the motive is in doing so.’
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