CJ de Mooi claims a ‘bogus Wikipedia entry’ led to the arrest warrant issued against him over an alleged killing
Quiz show personality CJ de Mooi says that the arrest warrant issued against him earlier this year seems to have been based on a bogus Wikipedia entry.
Prosecutors were unsuccessful in an attempt to extradite him to the Netherlands using a European Arrest Warrant after a claim that he punched an armed man and threw him into a canal in Amsterdam in 1988.
In an emotional video, the former Eggheads star said, “It seems to be a complete cock up by the Dutch authorities”.
He went on to accuse both authorities and the media of inaccuracies over his name and date of birth.
Recounting how the episode had “taken its toll” on him emotionally, de Mooi also confirmed that he intends to sue for damages.
In the clip, which was posted to YouTube, de Mooi said: “This warrant seems to have been issued because of what I said and wrote in my autobiography – they claim that in my autobiography I wrote that I killed a man, I left him for dead, I knocked him unconscious.
“I didn’t. Nowhere in my book does it say that, if you please just read the book, all it says is a guy came up behind me with a knife and tried to mug me and the words in the autobiography are: ‘I half-punched, half-pushed him into a canal and walked away’, that is all it says.
“This warrant and a lot of the press and a lot of the police investigation seems to have been because of what somebody else wrote about me on Wikipedia – literally.
“The warrant and the press coverage states my real name as Joseph Connagh, it has never been that in my life, it states my date of birth as the sixth of November, it isn’t.
“It states a lot of personal information about me that is completely wrong – somebody wrote this about me on Wikipedia and this warrant has just picked it up and said: ‘Oh this must be true, we will go after him’.”
“I can’t say too much because I’m taking my own legal action, obviously I’m suing”, he added.
The Dutch prosecutors’ office has been unavailable for comment.
The gay star caused controversy last year with claims that he was “banned” from Strictly Come Dancing because he wanted to dance with a man.
However, the BBC insisted it had not offered him a place on the series.
Prior to leaving the programme, the quizzer had appeared on Eggheads since the show started back in 2003.
At the time, the BBC was alleged to have terminated de Mooi’s contract via email.
In April, de Mooi also discussed being investigated by police over an allegation of sexual assault allegation.
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