‘I need to get myself right’: Footy WAG in break-up text to former beau after he loans her thousands

The ex-girlfriend of NRL star Josh Reynolds sent a series of text messages begging an ex-boyfriend for thousands of dollars – which he loaned her - then cut things off by claiming “I want to get myself right”.

THE ex-girlfriend of NRL star Josh Reynolds sent a series of text messages begging an ex-boyfriend for thousands of dollars – which he loaned her - then cut things off by claiming “I want to get myself right”.

Arabella del Busso, whose real name is Donna Preusker, has been accused of fleecing multiple men of money before accusing her then-football star boyfriend of domestic violence.

The claims came to light after Reynolds was charged with assaulting Ms del Busso – an allegation he denies. Ms del Busso has not been charged with any offence.

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Ms del Busso, 30, has been accused of faking funerals – including her mother’s - to borrow money and falsifying pregnancies while dating Reynolds.

NRL player Josh Reynolds and his now ex-girlfriend Arabella del Busso. Picture: Facebook

Michael Hayes, who dated Ms del Busso before Reynolds, sued Ms Busso for fraud and obtaining money by deception in 2018 after he transferred nearly $8000 to her between March 28 and May 15 in 2018, referring to her as “miss amazing” in his online transactions.

Mr Hayes first loan to his then-girlfriend was for $2500, followed by another $3500 two weeks later.

Two days after that, he sent her another $900, followed by several smaller amounts until the last transfer in mid-May.

He claimed she asked for the money to pay for relatives’ funerals – people he later discovered were still alive – as well as bills, toiletries and the bond for an apartment.

When Ms del Busso refused to pay him back, Mr Hayes took the Maxim Cover Girl model to court – and won.

Court documents obtained by The Sunday Mail show Ms del Busso was ordered to return the $7830 to the Gold Coast man after he submitted a series of bank documents and text messages between the pair.

Michael Hayes was fleeced by Arabella Del Busso. Picture: Richard Gosling

“(Mr Hayes) provided (Ms del Busso) with the loan monies … for items such as rental bond, funeral expenses, flights, bills and food,” a Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal document states.

“It is the order of the tribunal that … Bella del Busso pay to the applicant, Michael Hayes, the sum of $7866.46.”

The court documents show Ms del Busso filed no response to the claim.

Text messages submitted to the tribunal show Ms del Busso making repeated requests for money from her then-boyfriend. At the time Ms del Busso was living in Melbourne but making promises to travel to Queensland to see Mr Hayes.

In one case, she appeared to have borrowed money so she could fly to see the 36-year-old before abruptly cancelling once the cash was in her account.

“And after you said you would if I paid the bills etc last week it’s a bit of a slap in the face that’s just being honest,” a disappointed Mr Hayes wrote to her.

“It’s not like that at all,” Ms del Busso replied.

“It’s all good I’ll come up don’t worry about it not going to argue about it and have you shitty at me. I’ll get some money back to you for the $350 you paid all good.

Arabella Del Busso. Supplied

“If I didn’t want to see you I would be honest and tell you.”

At one point Ms del Busso offers to return some of the money she’d borrowed – but then suggests she could spend it on herself instead.

“Now babe I have some money here for you did you need it or would you mind if I used it to pay for my teeth and my op this week,” she asks him.

In another message, she says: “Babe are you kindly able to spare $50 until my money comes through still hasn’t.”

The message was accompanied by a screen shot of her bank account showing a balance of $7.70.

“Yeah, of course hun and you don’t need to send me pics of ur accounts babe,” Mr Hayes replied.

In another message she claimed she had been hacked “again” and her bank had frozen her accounts.

“Is it OK (to transfer money) and I’ll give it straight back once I get my account unfrozen,” she wrote.

And in yet another message: “Would I be pushing the relationship if I asked if you could help me one last time to help pay for some of my flight?”

“I understand if you say no so if you can’t please be honest with me hun would need $950.”

Mr Hayes replied:

“I’m always honest with you hun iv got nothing in my accounts as iv lent you $7250 so far … I haven’t got anything spare at the moment iv got two options I can ask a mate to help me out and see if he will but when will this money come back hun or will it not now … I just need to know because if I borrow money off a mate I’ll have to pay it back even if I don’t get it back off you baby so please let me know what you want me to do and I’ll do my best to sort it you know I will I just need to know when it will come back hun xx”

The court documents appear to show Ms del Busso attempting to cut the relationship off after Mr Hayes claimed to have no more money, sending him a message that they “need to just go with the flow”.

“ … I have had a few couple of bad months and my head isn’t right at the moment,” she wrote.

“I want you to know you do mean a lot to me but I need to get myself right because I can make you happy.

“Your (sic) a beautiful person and I can’t thank you enough for everything.

“I still want to talk message and catch up but I want to get myself right first.

“I hope you can understand this and please don’t think you won’t get your money back because you will as I am not that person.”

On June 14, a month after his final loan, Mr Hayes received a message claiming to be from one of Ms del Busso’s relatives cousin “Candice” informing him of another family tragedy.

“I have had to brake (sic) the news to her which after everything she has been through I honestly don’t think she can cope anymore,” she wrote.

They then appear to discuss Ms del Busso needing $1000 for flights.

In an earlier interview with News Corp, Mr Hayes said Ms del Busso was a “weapon” who lured him with lies,” he said.

“We dated for about nine months but the last two were about me setting her up to catch her out, she’s smart but not as smart as me.

“I fell for her lies because I admit she’s beautiful and she knows it, she uses her looks and her massive fake tits to get what she wants.”

He said he came forward after reading about her allegations against Reynolds and provided him with his court documents. Mr Hayes declined to comment when contacted this week by The Sunday Mail.