A team of investigators from the Slidell Police Department in Louisiana have arrested two men over a series of robberies and extortion attempts carried out via the dating app Grindr.
Emyni Hall, 20, and Griffin Batiste, 24, face charges including hate crimes, extortion, armed robbery and bank fraud.
Police allege the two men targeted married men they encountered on the app, believing they would be less likely to report the crimes.
“They would find information on the victim’s family. They would then threaten that if they called police, they would kill the family and the victim,” said Interim Chief Daniel Seuzeneau of the Slidell Police Department.
Hall was arrested on charges of hate crimes, carjacking, armed robbery with use of a firearm, aggravated second‑degree battery, second‑degree kidnapping, illegal carrying of weapons, extortion, bank fraud, access‑device fraud and interfering with emergency communications.
Batiste was arrested on the same charges, along with possession of a firearm by a person convicted of certain felonies.
Speaking to the media, the police chief said officers had responded to a call on Monday afternoon that was found to be a case of armed robbery and kidnapping.
“The victim was badly beaten and left where he was able to finally get help,” Interim Chief Seuzeneau said.
Police said Hall had also used Tinder to rob people back in March, and they believe there may be more victims.
The pair will also be charged with hate‑crime offences. “They were openly targeting gay men, or what they believed to be gay men,” Interim Chief Seuzeneau said.
The police chief added that people needed to be aware that dating apps were being used to lure victims, and that the issue was not limited to gay men. He noted previous cases involving women using Tinder to meet men, drug them and steal their belongings.
