-
Weather
WRAL Investigates
'He went ballistic with his texts'
WRAL has spoken with 11 women who all have similar accounts of harassment, after matching with Triangle insurance agent Matt Ellington, 36, on dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.
If you previously used a social network to login to WRAL.com, click the “Forgot your password” link to reset your password.
12 NC counties are under alert, including Johnston County. Details
WRAL has spoken with 11 women who all have similar accounts of harassment, after matching with Triangle insurance agent Matt Ellington, 36, on dating apps like Tinder and Bumble.
MOST AT RISK PATIENTS. >>> YOU KNOW, DATES DO NOT ALWAYS WORK, A LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA GROUP HAS A PLATFORM FOR SAY DATES NOT ONLY ENDED BADLY BUT THEY ENDED WITH WORRIES OF HARASSMENT.:BROADER SOURCE THROUGH ACCUSATIONS LINKED TO ONE MAN THAT 30 WOMEN SAY THEY MET THROUGH INTERNET DATING SITES. >> Reporter: THIS 36-YEAR-OLD MATT ELLINGTON HAS A PRO FEEL WITH A CAREER AS AN INSURANCE AGENT AND A FORMER BASEBALL PLAYER. NOW HIS REPUTATION AS A PLAYER IN THE ONLINE DATING WORLD IS MARKED WITH DETAILS OF HARASSMENT AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR. >> HE WAS A NICE GUY, A CONFIDENT GUY. HE COMPLETELY FLIPPED WHEN, YOU KNOW, HE WAS TOLD NO. SO WHEN HE DID NOT GET WHAT HE WANTED. >> I WAS ON A COUPLE DATES AND HE WAS A SUPER BIG CREE . >> Reporter: SOME WOMEN, WORST OF AT LEAST THREE FILED POLICE REPORTS WITH THE POLICE OVER THE PAST YEAR CLAIMING HE HARASSED THEM. TO DATE, NO CRIMINAL CHARGES HAVE BEEN FILED. WRAL INVESTIGATES BOOKS TO 11 WOMEN, MOST POSTED ABOUT SCARY ERRATIC DATING EXPERIENCES WITH ELLINGTON ON THE NORTH CAROLINA PROTECTION ALLIANCE INSTAGRAM PAGE. MANY WANTS TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS FOR FEAR OF SAFETY. >> ARE YOU SCARED? BUT I WAS SCARED, YES. I WOULD NOT FEEL SAFE IF I SAW HIM IN PUBLIC FOR SURE . >> Reporter: THEY AGREED TO PUT A FACE TO THEIR STORY IN HOPES OF CREATING AWARENESS AND ACCOUNTABILITY. BOTH MET HIM THROUGH ON MY DATING APPS. >> IT FIRST YOU SEEM LIKE A REALLY CHARMING AND CHARISMATIC NICE SKY. >> Reporter: HE BECAME SEXUALLY AGGRESSIVE WITH ONE DATE AND LATER SENT AN UNSOLICITED PICTURE OF HIS [ NULL ] AND SHE SHOWED DISCUSSED BY TEXT AND BLOCKED HIM FROM THE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS. >> THAT IS WHEN HE COMPLETELY CHANGED. HE CALLED ME SO I ANSWER. HE JUST STARTED SCREAMING AT ME ABOUT HOW DARE I STAND HIM UP. >> Reporter: SHE TELLS US AFTER A DECENT FIRST DATES, ELLINGTON CENTER WITH ANGRY, JEALOUS CALLS AND TEXTS WHICH WHEN SHE TRIED TO RESCHEDULE MEETING. NEITHER WOMAN REPORTED THAT EXPERIENCES TO POLICE OR DATING APPS BUT LATER CAME ACROSS THE INSTAGRAM STORIES ABOUT ELLINGTON THAT STRUCK A CHORD. >> IT WHEN I SAW HIS THEY MIGHT BUT WE GOT SICK AND I WAS LIKE, THAT IS THAT I. WHO WAS ARRESTING A . >> Reporter: AN EMAIL RESPONSE TO THE NORTH ORLANDO PROTECTION ALLIANCE INSTAGRAM PAGE, ELLINGTON DEMANDED POST ABOUT A BE TAKEN TO. AT ONE POINT CONCEDING REGRETS FOR HIS ACTIONS BUT AT THE SAME TIME SAYING, HE HAD TAKEN PHOTOS OF A WOMAN THAT COULD DAMAGE HER TEACHING CAREER. A LETTER FROM HIS ATTORNEY TO THE PAGE SITE STORIES AS A DIRECT THREAT TO HIS CAREER AS AN INSURANCE AGENT. IN A STATEMENT, FARM BUREAU INSURANCE SAYS THEY NO LONGER CONTRACT WITH HIM AND THEY ARE INVESTIGATING ACCUSATIONS AGAINST HIM. >> IT HE CLEARLY HAS A HISTORY AND PATTERN OF BEING YOU KNOW, PREDATORY AND JUST OVERALL A CREEP AND IN SOME CASES, YOU KNOW, MUCH WORSE THAN THAT. >> Reporter: FOR THAT REASON THESE WOMEN WATCH THEIR STORIES TO HELP OTHERS. >> DON'T STRETCH IT OUT OR BLOCKED HIM AND FORGET ABOUT IT. IT'S NOT JUST YOU. IT'S OTHER WOMEN. YOU KNOW. COULD POTENTIALLY HAVE WORSE CONSEQUENCES. THAT IS WHAT HURTS. >> RALEIGH POLICE TELL US THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE ACCUSATIONS. WE REACHED OUT FOR COMMENTS BY PHONE AND EMAIL. HE REFERRED ME TO AN ATTORNEY. I REACHED OUT TO HIS LAWYER AND ATTORNEY THAT ROADS TO THE PROTECTION ALLIANCE AND AT THIS POINT, I HAVE NOT HEARD BACK.