Brownlow Medal red carpet crasher Nelly Yoa guilty of perjury
He claimed he was a mate of Usain Bolt, a star athlete backed by Nike and American Express and even snuck into the AFL’s night of nights uninvited. But Nelly Yoa’s latest lies have landed him in court.
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Prolific tale spinner Nelly Yoa has been been at it again.
Yoa, 30, has previously made headlines for crashing the Brownlow Medal red carpet and making wild claims including that Usain Bolt was present at his child’s birth and that he was a brand ambassador for Nike and American Express.
And even last month, while awaiting a hearing in a Melbourne court for perjury, Yoa was posting images of himself in Los Angeles on various ‘red carpets’ including the high-profile G’Day USA gala.
A magistrate last week called him “extremely deluded” after he pleaded guilty to perjury at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court for making false reports to police about being confronted by an armed woman.
The court heard the self-proclaimed professional soccer player lied when he reported to police he was threatened by a woman with a knife in his Dandenong home in June, 2016.
Police quickly debunked his claims when the woman presented a solid alibi, producing tickets to a movie she saw with a friend that night.
Her friend corroborated their catch up and mobile phone pings confirmed their outing in South Yarra at the time Yoa claimed she was at his house.
Then in May last year, he again lied to police, saying the woman confronted him, and exposed a handgun under her cardigan, near the corner of Spencer and Collins streets in Melbourne CBD.
He said he ran through the city to escape her.
But after trawling hours of CCTV, police found no sign of either of them in the city that day.
In fact, the woman was at work.
The prosecution told the court Yoa’s false reports had taken up “an extraordinary amount of police time”.
“All for Mr Yoa’s unexplained way to get back at the victim,” he said.
Deputy chief magistrate Felicity Broughton remarked: “It’s a complete litany of lies that strikes at the heart of the criminal justice system.
“It’s more than just a tissue of lies. He’s clearly extremely deluded.”
Even his lawyer remarked that his client had “a pretty high opinion of himself”.
The court heard he was once considered an active advocate for the African community, but his reputation was shot after it was revealed he had been fabricating stories and his credentials.
Yoa recently posted photos and video on his Instagram from the G’Day USA gala attended by celebrities such as Liam Hemsworth, thanking host Qantas.
The airline told the Herald Sun he was not part of their hosted Australian media group at the event, nor do they have a wider partnership with him.
Yoa snuck into the AFL Brownlow medal count last year, walking the red carpet and telling attendants he was a guest of Kangaroo Majak Daw. It’s believed he hid in a toilet before being escorted from Crown Casino.
In January last year, banking giant American Express threatened legal action against him after he claimed he was a paid ambassador for them.
Amex denied the claims and issued Yoa a cease and desist letter requesting he refrain from further misrepresentation of his relationship with them.
Nike, who he claimed sponsored him as an athlete, was also quick to distance themselves from him.
Other claims including that he trialled with English soccer giant Chelsea, and was negotiating a deal with Melbourne Victory, could also not be verified.
Usain Bolt was also forced to deny Yoa’s claims the Olympic sprinter was at the birth of his child.
Ms Broughton was reluctant to sentence Yoa immediately, ordering a Forensicare psychological assessment be completed so she can better understand his offending behaviour.
He will return to court on May 8.
Originally published as Brownlow Medal red carpet crasher Nelly Yoa guilty of perjury