Ex-NRL star avoids conviction over $140k crypto theft
Former NRL star Trent Merrin admitted stealing $140,000 worth of cryptocurrency from a friend but walked away without a conviction.
The 36-year-old former State of Origin and Australia Test lock was sentenced to an 18-month community release order without being convicted of the offence.
Merrin was charged after his former friend and St George Illawarra Dragons teammate Kaide Ellis reported $140,000 worth of Bitcoin missing, triggering a year-long police investigation.
Court documents said Merrin advised Ellis to set up a cryptocurrency account in 2020 while the pair were playing for the Dragons.
Ellis initially invested around $15,000, but by the end of 2021, as the value of Bitcoin increased, his investment had reached a value of $90,000.
In 2023, Merrin helped Ellis set up a ledger via a USB dongle to hold the crypto, providing extra protection against fraud.
However, the two stopped talking after their friendship broke down.
In late 2024, Ellis believed his bitcoin should be worth $140,000, but when he logged into his ledger he discovered that his balance had been reduced to zero.
During the investigation, police traced the Bitcoin to a crypto account belonging to Merrin.
He did not deny transferring the cryptocurrency from Ellis’ account but said he thought it belonged to him, according to court documents.
Merrin offered to repay Ellis in October 2025, a few weeks before his arrest.
On Wednesday, after pleading guilty, the former NRL star was sentenced in Port Kembla Local Court to a conditional discharge order that expires in June 2027.
The order requires him not to commit any offenses and to appear in court if summoned at any time within the next 18 months.
During his rugby league career, Merrin played 13 matches for NSW and was part of the team’s drought-breaking success in 2014.
He also played seven Tests for Australia and more than 150 matches for the Dragons, winning the 2010 NRL grand final with the club.
He signed a 5-year contract with Penrith Panthers in 2015 and then played for one season in the English Super League with Leeds.
Merrin retired from the sport in April 2021 at the age of 32.
