Parliamentary Secretary for the Illawarra Gareth Ward has denied ordering a “special massage”, after reports emerged that he fell victim to a scam at a hotel in New York.
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Mr Ward has spoken to the Mercury about his “terrifying ordeal”, which happened on Tuesday (New York time) while staying at the Intercontinental Hotel.
“My first thought [was] there could be a knife, there could be a gun,” he told the Mercury, speaking from Canada, where he is attending a conference for parliamentarians with a disability.
“I was terrified, I was absolutely terrified.”
The New York media reported that “sources” had said Mr Ward had ordered a “special massage” which implies sexual services.
The parliamentary secretary, who has albinism and is legally blind, said he ordered a “normal massage” and opened his door to find two males standing in the hallway.
Mr Ward has said “claims [about] requesting a special massage are untrue”.
“I requested a normal massage as people on holidays will often do,” he said.
“The media has accused me of all sorts of things this morning.
“I am just holding my steadfast cool because I know I have done nothing wrong.”
When they arrived at Mr Ward’s hotel room, the two young men started to film the MP on a mobile phone and demanded money, threatening to tell the authorities they were minors.
Mr Ward said he told the men he had no cash and asked them to accompany him to an ATM downstairs.
He then went down to the front desk of the hotel and reported the incident to a staff member who contacted police.
The two men fled the scene and police are looking for them.
“I asked for a massage - but when it became clear that more was [on] offer, I asked them to leave, then they became aggressive demanding money,” he said.
“I reported the matter to police and the matter is subject to investigation.”
He said police told him this kind of scam “happens all the time” and was not unusual.
He said he did not know if the “scammers” had targeted him because he was an Australian politician.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
Kate McIlwain
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
For more than a decade, I've helped the Illawarra Mercury set the news agenda across the region. Currently I'm the paper's health reporter - covering the stories of Illawarra workers and residents in the wake of a global pandemic and at a time where our health systems are stretched to the limit.
