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Ex-NRL Star's $91K Crypto Dispute Turns Into Police Drama

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Former Penrith Panthers and St George Illawarra Dragons back-rower Trent Merrin got arrested after teammate Kade Ellis claimed he stole $91,000 in Bitcoin. Plot twist: Merrin says he actually paid Ellis seven times the original investment amount.

What went down

Ellis complained to police in late 2024, claiming Merrin convinced him to invest in crypto back in 2021. The catch? Merrin had the wallet password and allegedly helped himself to the funds.

Police raided Merrin’s place, seized electronic devices for forensic analysis, and charged him with dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage. He got conditional bail ahead of a December 3 court appearance.

Merrin’s defense

His lawyer Paul McGirr is pushing back hard:

  • “He made full, documented payments to Ellis”
  • “The payment was literally 7x the initial investment
  • The catch: “There was an agreement between them, but nothing in writing”

Police allegedly traced some money to Merrin’s “Freeze Yourself” ice bath business.

The takeaway

Classic crypto dispute gone wrong: no written contracts, passwords flying around, and now a courtroom drama. Merrin has been active in the crypto community since retiring in 2021 and even calls himself a “cryptocurrency enthusiast” on LinkedIn. Ellis went on to win grand finals with Wigan Warriors in 2023-2024 and earned 250 caps for NSW and Australia.

Court will settle this on December 3.

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