Boston man faces kidnapping, robbery charges after allegedly holding Grindr date against his will

A Boston man has been charged with kidnapping and unarmed robbery after he allegedly wouldn’t let a man whom he met on a dating app leave his apartment without paying. 

Anthony Brimage, 28, was charged on Friday and is being held on $1,000 bail, Suffolk District Attorney Kevin Hayden’s office said in a press release Tuesday.

Boston police responded to an unarmed robbery call at about 2 a.m. March 8 and found the victim, who met Brimage on Grindr, walking down Neponset Avenue, according to the statement. The victim had agreed to meet Brimage at his apartment on the same street. 

When the victim arrived to the apartment, Brimage allegedly demanded he send him money before they had sex. When the victim refused, Brimage reportedly cornered him and pinned him against the wall, Hayden’s office said. 

“The victim said Brimage became aggressive and yelled for the victim to send him $50 via Apple Pay,” the statement read. “The victim ultimately sent $50 out of fear and began begging Brimage to let him leave.”

Brimage allegedly told the victim that if he had $50, he “must” have more money. When the victim refused to send any more, Brimage reportedly called his roommate into the bedroom, after which the victim sent $50 more on Apple Pay. 

“The victim was ultimately allowed to leave. He refused to seek any medical treatment,” the release read. 

When officers spoke to Brimage, he said the victim “randomly” wanted to send him $50 for “weed and lunch,” Hayden’s office said. Brimage then claimed the victim wanted to have sex in exchange for the money he had given Brimage, but Brimage refused. 

“The victim then sent him another $50 ‘just because’ and they got into an argument which caused his roommate to check on them,” the press release read. 

The roommate told police they heard the victim and Brimage arguing and told the victim to leave. Once he left, Brimage “began panicking” and told the roommate, “I think [the victim] called the police.”

After looking up Brimage in their system, police found he had an outstanding warrant for shoplifting in Holyoke. 

Brimage is scheduled to appear in Boston Municipal Court, Dorchester division, on April 5.

“A person can be robbed on the spot of cash now even if, as in this case, they’re not carrying any,” Hayden said in a statement. “The suspect here used technology to meet the victim and rob the victim. We are seeing these types of incidents more and more. I urge everyone using dating sites to be cautious, especially when meeting someone for the first time in a non-public setting.”

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