FBOY Island Australia 2023‘s Riccardo Valenza has been charged with allegedly stalking a Queensland woman.
**CONTENT WARNING: the following discusses stalking and harassment and might be distressing to some readers.
Per the Townsville Bulletin, Riccardo, who appeared in the inaugural season of Binge’s hit dating series, was charged with one count of unlawful stalking on June 4.
It is alleged that the 30-year-old both stalked and harassed a woman in Queensland from December 8, 2022, to June 9, 2023.
The veterinarian reportedly lived between Townsville and the Sunshine Coast when the alleged offences occurred.
Riccardo was granted bail in Maroochydore Magistrates Court on August 1.
As reported in episode 421 of the So Dramatic! podcast, he has also been charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass or cause offence.
The alleged offences occurred on November 26 and November 28, 2023, in Brisbane, and they involved a different victim to that of the first stalking charge.
Another alleged victim speaks out against FBOY Island‘s Riccardo Valenza
After the charges were laid, another woman took to Instagram to claim she was another victim of Riccardo’s.
In an Instagram Story, she wrote: “Haven’t spoken to many people about this, but I was stalked and harassed by this man for months earlier this year.
“Was scared going to work or leaving the house alone, was scared to post where I was at the time I was there.”
The woman added that she was “glad to see justice has been served”.
“It seems many Townsville [women] were victims.”
The charges against Riccardo come after several women told So Dramatic! of their alleged experiences of being stalked and harassed by the reality star.
Another woman told So Dramatic! host Megan Pustetto that when she posted in a local Facebook group “to warn other women about him”, multiple people “came forward with similar stories”.
“The FB group is known as a place where women can flag guys for shady or dangerous behaviour, so other women stay clear of them,” she explained. “One of the women on the thread also said she had gone to the police to report him.”
Riccardo Valenza allegedly contacted women persistently on different numbers
According to the source, they “all said they had to block him on every platform because of how persistent he was in contacting them”.
“Another said they were too scared to answer their phone because she knows it will be him calling and has been trying to call her persistently on different numbers.
“Another woman claimed that he cornered her in the gym also, and she had to get the gym involved to stop him harassing her.”
Riccardo Valenza allegedly ‘created multiple fake accounts’ to harass women
They also claimed that Riccardo “had created multiple fake accounts to stalk them, and he would try to constantly video call them”.
“There were at least six women on the thread who also alleged that he had done the same things to all of them as he’d done to me,” she concluded.
Several other women who spoke to So Dramatic! said they did not feel comfortable reporting Riccardo to the police. This is mainly because he has access to their personal details, and they were concerned about what he would do should he find out they reported him.
Meanwhile, alleged victims who did report Riccardo to authorities said no charges were laid relating to their reports at the time.
So Dramatic! has contacted Binge for comment.
If you or anyone you know is struggling and needs support, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or Lifeline on 13 11 14, both of which provide trained counsellors you can talk with 24/7. You can also talk to someone from 1800RESPECT via online chat. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
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