PHILADELPHIA, Pa. — A Canadian man visiting Philadelphia for an education conference says he was sexually assaulted, beaten and robbed after meeting another man on the gay hookup app Grindr.
The 34-year-old victim, whose identity is being withheld, told WCAU-TV that he invited the suspect to his hotel room after connecting with him over Grindr. When the suspect arrived, the man says he was held up at gunpoint and sexually assaulted.
“The whole thing was just a giant blur. I was scared and I kept thinking if i just do what he says, then he’ll just go away,” the man said.
Following the assault, the victim said he was forced to buy four $500 Visa gift cards, and was then walked to five nearby ATMs and told to withdraw $200 from each cash machine.
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Surveillance cameras captured a struggle between the men before the victim was able to flee.