Former Australian Rugby Star Arrested Over Alleged Crypto Theft – Decrypt

Former Australian Rugby League star Trent Merrin has been arrested and charged over the alleged theft of $91,000 (AUD $140,000) in crypto, with police alleging the retired footballer used misleading means to switch funds from a sufferer’s account.

The previous Kangaroos and New South Wales Blues consultant was taken into custody at his Barrack Level residence on Tuesday morning following a year-long investigation into the alleged theft from a 29-year-old man’s crypto account, in line with a report by the Sydney Morning Herald.

Police allege Merrin dishonestly obtained a monetary benefit by deception by way of unauthorized crypto transfers. 

Officers seized digital units in the course of the raid, which is able to bear forensic examination to help the continued inquiry, the report mentioned.

Merrin was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to seem earlier than Port Kembla Native Courtroom on December 3.

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The previous St George Illawarra Dragons, Penrith Panthers, and Leeds Rhinos ahead retired from the NRL in 2021, after 250 first-grade video games spanning a 15-year skilled profession that included consultant honors for New South Wales and Australia.

Since hanging up his boots, Merrin has actively pursued enterprise ventures within the crypto and wellness sectors. 

His LinkedIn profile describes him as a “devoted entrepreneur and investor with a ardour for crypto, blockchain, and the well being and wellness business,” noting he has been “actively concerned in constructing and backing revolutionary companies” since 2015.

Merrin based Freeze Your self in January 2023, a chilly plunge remedy service concentrating on the booming well being and wellness market. He additionally operated as an angel investor by way of Merrin Investments from Might 2015 to February 2025.

Merrin’s arrest comes as Australian authorities strengthen enforcement towards crypto-related crime.

In July, the Australian Transaction Reviews and Evaluation Centre declared crypto a high menace in its monetary crime enforcement priorities, with CEO Brendan Thomas calling it “probably the most bold overhaul of Australia’s anti-money laundering legal guidelines in a era.”

Digital currencies have emerged as a specific concern for regulators resulting from their cross-border capabilities and the benefit of instantaneous international transfers, which authorities say make them engaging to monetary criminals.