Why Does the Male Escort Get to Keep the $6M (£4.5M)? Judge Rules Roblox Widow's Millions Can Stay in His Hands

Two banks reportedly flagged a proposed $10 million (£7.5 million) payment as potential fraud. Nearly $6 million (£4.5 million)still ended up in the hands of the male escort at the centre of a bitter legal fight.

New York Supreme Court Justice Lyle E. Frank rejected Flippo's request for the immediate relief she sought against Starr, while the underlying dispute over the money remains unresolved.

So how did the Roblox widow $10M payment saga reach this point?

The answer lies in the contract, the extraordinary money trail, and audio recordings that Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Lyle E. Frank said appeared to show Flippo knowingly acknowledging the agreement.

What the Judge Ruled

Frank found that Flippo had 'failed to establish entitlement to the relief sought' and 'failed to demonstrate irreparable harm,' according to his ruling.

The decision meant Flippo did not obtain the immediate restrictions on Starr's access to the funds that she had sought. The underlying lawsuit, including the competing claims over the nearly $6 million, remains unresolved.

The ruling also pointed to audio submitted by Starr's lawyers. Frank said the recordings appeared to contain Flippo's 'knowing and willing acknowledgement' of the contract's contents.

The recordings were cited by Starr's lawyers in support of their position that Flippo understood and agreed to the arrangement.

Why Was the $10M Payment Blocked?

According to Flippo's court filings, Starr told her he needed $10 million to buy out his Cowboys4Angels contracts so they could pursue a relationship.

According to her affidavit, Flippo attempted to wire the money to the agency, but JPMorgan Chase's fraud department became concerned and recalled the transfer. She said a second attempt through another bank was also blocked because of concerns about potential fraud and coercion.

Flippo says she did not heed those warnings.

Instead, she alleges Starr directed her to open a joint Charles Schwab account in both their names. She subsequently transferred $5.95 million into it.

How the $6M Moved

Court records cited in the reporting show Starr later transferred $5,719,010.37 from the joint account into an account in his own name, leaving $12.61 by the end of June, according to Fortune.

The money came after a dramatic escalation in the pair's financial relationship.

According to Flippo's filings, she made a series of payments to Starr after meeting him through Cowboys4Angels, including payments for exclusivity and later contractual arrangements.

Then came the $10 million exit agreement.

Flippo's Account of the Deal

Flippo says she signed the agreement in February 2026 while drinking alcohol and taking prescription medication following surgery. She also says she had not had a lawyer review it.

In a sworn filing, she described herself as vulnerable and later wrote, 'I now realize I was foolish.'

Her lawyers portray the payments as the product of manipulation. Starr has disputed Flippo's allegations, saying their relationship was genuine and that the financial arrangements were voluntary.

His lawyers Jeremy Feigenbaum and Todd Spodek have also argued that moving money between accounts in Starr's name did not establish concealment or wrongdoing.

The Dubai Money Dispute

The battle intensified after Starr travelled to Dubai.

Flippo's lawyer Larry Hutcher alleged that Starr transferred more than $1 million to an account in Dubai and travelled there after the lawsuit was filed. Starr disputed the characterisation of the trip, describing it as a holiday.

The dispute added another contentious issue to a case involving sharply conflicting accounts of the relationship and the money.

For now, the ruling represents a setback for Flippo's effort to obtain immediate relief.

Flippo has not secured the immediate protection she sought, while Starr retains access to the nearly $6 million as the broader case proceeds.

The dispute now turns on whether Flippo can ultimately establish her claims over the nearly $6 million, after failing to obtain the immediate relief she sought.