| For Immediate Release Case # TBA
April 16, 2009 |
Susan Kang Schroeder Public Affairs Counsel Office: 714-347-8408 Cell: 714-292-2718 Farrah Emami |
WOMAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO EXTORT $15,000 FROM MAN SHE MET ONLINE AFTER FILING FALSE RAPE REPORT WITH POLICE
A woman was charged today with attempting to extort $15,000 from a man she met online and falsely claiming to police that he had raped her. Susanna Maria Coetzee, 28, Newport Beach, is charged with one felony count of the attempt or threat to extort and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime. She faces a maximum sentence of three years in state prison if convicted. The defendant is being held without bail on a probation violation for a 2008 driving under the influence conviction in Orange County. Coatzee is expected to be arraigned today, Thursday, April 16, 2009, at 1:30 p.m. in Department N-12, North Justice Center, Fullerton.
On the night of April 1, 2009, Coatzee is accused of meeting 37-year-old John Doe for drinks after meeting him on a “Sugar Daddies, Mommies, and Babies” dating website, www.seekingarrangement.com. After meeting for drinks, the defendant is accused of going with John Doe to a hotel in Anaheim. Coatzee is accused of beginning to have consensual sex with him. After several moments, the defendant is accused of pulling away from the victim and asking him for a check in exchange for sex. When John Doe refused, Coatzee is accused of telling John Doe that he had raped her.
Shortly after, at approximately 1:00 a.m. on April 2, 2009, Coatzee is accused of yelling that she had been raped. She is accused of then leaving the hotel.
Security at the hotel called 9-1-1 to report the rape claim and the Anaheim Police Department (APD) responded to the scene to investigate the case. Coatzee is accused of going to APD and filing a false report by claiming that the defendant had pushed her to the bed, covered her face with a pillow to prevent her from screaming, raped her, and hit her on the head with the hand set of the phone, which he had unplugged to keep her from making calls.
Over the next two weeks, Coatzee is accused of sending several dozen text messages to John Doe attempting to extort $15,000 from him in exchange for not proceeding with her false rape allegation.
Coatzee is accused of going to a meeting on April 14, 2009, to exchange a letter clearing John Doe’s name of rape for $5,000 in cash. The defendant was arrested by APD when she arrived at the Block in Orange for the meeting.
Deputy District Attorney Andy Manssourian of the Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting this case.
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