Former Leeds Rhinos forward Trent Merrin has been arrested and charged with fraud down under.
Merrin, who spent the 2019 Super League season with the Rhinos, is facing allegations that he stole $140,000 worth of cryptocurrency, with police raiding his home in Wollongong earlier this week.
Police seized electronic devices for forensic examination, and Merrin was taken to Lake Illawarra Police Station where he was charged with the alleged crime of dishonestly obtaining a financial advantage by deception.
The charge relates to reports of a large amount of cryptocurrency being stolen from the account of a 29-year-old man, with Merrin being the accused.
The 36-year-old was granted conditional bail, but he will be expected to report for a court date on December 3.
Merrin retired as a player at the end of the 2021 season after spending 13 years in the professional ranks. He is a self professed cryptocurrency enthusiast, with his LinkedIn account stating that he has a passion for crypto and blockchain. He also owns a cold therapy business called Freeze Yourself, and calls himself a dedicated entrepreneur and investor.
The former forward started his rugby league career with St George Illawarra Dragons, playing 135 times for the club, and it was during his spell with the Dragons that he earned call ups for New South Wales and Australia.
He went on to spend three seasons with Penrith Panthers before joining Leeds ahead of the 2019 season. He initially joined the club on a four-year contract but his time at Headingley was cut short after just one season, with a return to St George on the cards.
He made a further 18 appearances for the Wollongong outfit before hanging up his boots having played 253 club games, 13 times for New South Wales and seven times for the Kangaroos.
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