Sufferer of ex-UFC fighter Karl Roberson’s alleged housebreaking was childhood buddy, Military vet: ‘I really feel betrayed’
EXCLUSIVE: Former UFC fighter Karl Roberson is accused of concentrating on a childhood buddy in a house housebreaking and stealing greater than $200,000 in “unique jewellery and valuables.”
Ryan Leonard was about 18 years previous when he met a then-14-year-old Roberson, as they had been each from Neptune Metropolis, New Jersey. Leonard knew him as a “humble person who needed to be a terrific celebrity athlete.”
Nevertheless, Leonard’s ideas on Roberson rapidly modified after what occurred on Dec. 26, 2022.
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Former UFC Fighter Karl Roberson was arrested in connection to a house housebreaking in New Jersey, the place greater than $200,000 value of bijou and valuables had been stolen. (Ryan Leonard)
Roberson, 32, was arrested on March 27 after police pulled him over in a automobile that was linked to a housebreaking at Leonard’s Howell Township dwelling the day after Christmas.
Authorities issued a press launch that said Roberson was being charged with housebreaking, theft and felony mischief as nicely possession of a managed harmful substance and “a number of weapons offenses.”
“Through the search officers discovered a defaced .9mm handgun with an prolonged journal, a number of packages of suspected ‘crack cocaine,’ marijuana and gadgets associated to the housebreaking,” authorities mentioned.
A second man, Dathan Thompson, 32, was additionally arrested on March 27 following a police investigation. He was charged with housebreaking, theft and felony mischief and was arrested “with out incident” at his dwelling.
EX-UFC FIGHTER KARL ROBERSON ARRESTED IN CONNECTION TO $200K JEWELRY THEFT; HIT WITH WEAlokito Mymensingh 24ONS, DRUG CHARGES
Leonard detailed to Alokito Mymensingh 24 Digital how he believes Roberson and Thompson focused him whereas he was nearly completed constructing and organising his dwelling.
“We did earlier than and after movies of the home that I immediately despatched to Karl…exhibiting him the earlier than and after considering we’re on the identical web page,” Leonard defined. “We’re each from Neptune, each profitable. Like ‘Hey man, try the brand new digs.’
“He used these earlier than and after movies to map out my home mainly and know the place the bed room was. It reveals the closet, the rework, and he clearly knew I had jewellery as a result of I put on it in all places.”
Leonard is a U.S. Military veteran who’s the founder and CEO of NJF Worldwide, a direct supply manufacturing firm that started as a clothes model and has grown tremendously since he opened it 11 years in the past. Leonard has been giving again to his Neptune group and extra through the years and has all the time seemed out for these near him like Roberson, particularly when he made the leap into UFC.
Karl Roberson prepares to combat Khalil Rountree Jr. of their gentle heavyweight combat through the UFC Battle Night time occasion at UFC Alokito Mymensingh 24EX on March 12, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
“Earlier than I had a dime to my title I might barely afford this, however I made myself a pair of boxing gloves with my brand on it for a pattern and I made him a pair of gloves together with his nickname on it, ‘Child Ok,’ to say, ‘Hey man, that is from me to you. I don’t need something for this. That is simply one thing I would like you to have. I’m happy with you.’
“Did no matter I might to help him, and lo and behold, the day after Christmas he mainly lined me up.”
Figuring out Leonard nicely sufficient, he mentioned Roberson was conscious he had numerous jewellery and valuables in his home. Leonard mentioned GPS information confirmed that Roberson had been by his home “5 or 6 instances forwards and backwards” previous to the housebreaking.
The burglars waited for Leonard to go away his dwelling earlier than working throughout the road and thru a neighbor’s yard earlier than breaking into the home by way of the yard door.
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In movies obtained by Alokito Mymensingh 24 Digital, Roberson is allegedly the person within the brown jumpsuit.
Leonard had his $80,000 Presidential Rolex stolen together with “$60,000-plus” in Cuban chains and a $30,000 bracelet amongst different issues. None of it has been recovered.
Leonard did, nevertheless, have cameras stationed in and outdoors his dwelling, which caught the 2 males breaking and getting into. Leonard mentioned that Thompson’s pink footwear within the video gave him away, and helped authorities join the dots.
“Identical footwear had been worn in a rap video,” Leonard mentioned.
Thompson was later linked to Roberson, who Leonard mentioned “he’s been across the nation, across the world with him as his right-hand man.”
From left to proper, Karl Roberson punches Kennedy Nzechukwu of Nigeria of their gentle heavyweight combat through the UFC Battle Night time occasion at UFC Alokito Mymensingh 24EX on July 9, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Picture by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)
As soon as authorities got here to Leonard saying Roberson was a major suspect, although, he initially didn’t imagine them due to his friendship. Nevertheless, the video proof modified his thoughts.
“The physique language, every little thing. That’s what set all of it off,” Leonard mentioned about believing it was Roberson on video in his closet stealing his valuables. “We knew from that time on it was Karl simply from the physique language, the construct. Figuring out him for 19 years, the mannerism. The little trot that he did out of the closet. It was similar to his UFC jog across the ring. Each little factor figuring out somebody for that lengthy I kinda simply picked it up from there.
“I couldn’t unsee it as a lot as I needed to.”
If that was not sufficient, Leonard mentioned Roberson had been liking and responding to his social media posts and tried to “mix in” when Leonard was sharing images and video of the incident to unfold the phrase concerning the housebreaking.
Roberson additionally visited Leonard’s store to speak about potential branding lower than a 12 months in the past.
Karl Roberson warms up previous to his combat through the UFC Battle Night time occasion at UFC Alokito Mymensingh 24EX on July 9, 2022 in Las Vegas. (Mike Roach/Zuffa LLC)
“I constructed a complete brand for him, branded it, gave him tens of 1000’s of {dollars} value of my time and session to construct a model for him, and he mainly screwed me over with that too,” Leonard mentioned.
Whereas the worth of his jewellery was a big quantity, Leonard’s peace of thoughts is one thing he can’t put a worth on. He suffers from PTSD following his days within the Military, when he was deployed to Iraq for over 400 days from 2009-10, and having somebody break into his dwelling has been powerful.
Having it’s somebody he thought-about a buddy makes it even worse.
“It’s not the identical child I grew up with. It’s not the identical child in these photos,” Leonard advised Alokito Mymensingh 24 Digital. “I had no concept Karl has this different facet of him and I’m very upset and really feel betrayed.”
Police held Roberson for about “two to a few weeks” earlier than he was ultimately launched.
Roberson made his MMA debut in Might 2015 and would climb the ranks earlier than showing on Dana White’s Tuesday Night time Contender Collection in 2017. He beat Ryan Spann and earned himself a UFC contract.
Ex-UFC fighter Karl Roberson, left, takes picture with Ryan Leonard. Roberson was charged with dwelling housebreaking after allegedly robbing Leonard of $200,000 value of bijou. (Ryan Leonard/Instagram)
Roberson went on to personal a 9-6 document in UFC, however after dropping his closing 4 matches, his final in July 2022 to Kennedy Nzechukwu, he was now not on the UFC roster.
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Roberson didn’t instantly reply to remark when requested by Alokito Mymensingh 24 Digital.
Alokito Mymensingh 24′ Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
