Oopsies: Noted Transphobe Logan Paul Poses for Photo with Subject of Pedophilia Sting, Rob Feinstein
The views expressed in this or any other editorial are solely those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views, thoughts, feelings, or sense of humor as any Bodyslam.net staff.
It’s been a busy week for WWE U.S. Champion Logan Paul. In addition to preparing for his match with heated rival, LA Knight at Saturday’s Summerslam, Paul has also been busy spreading misinformation about an innocent woman that could have gotten her arrested and/or killed.
Yesterday, we reported that Paul took to Twitter to prove to his millions of followers that he doesn’t know the difference between a man and a woman, but chose to share his opinion anyway. After a collective outrage on Twitter (and, we’d like to think, the huge reaction to our story about it), Logan issued an apolo- well, it wasn’t really an apology. It was more like, doubling down on his transphobia but kinda-sorta admitting that he was wrong.
That’s not all that the Prime Energy Entrepreneur was doing, however. In between tweeting out his ignorant faux-outrage-cum-biology-assessment, Paul found the time to pose for a picture with somebody who is actually believed to be a threat to children.
Rob Feinstein is the original owner of Ring of Honor. He made a name for himself on the independent professional wrestling scene by creating RFVideo which was, at the time, the leading independent pro wrestling tape distributor in America. RFVideo was a fixture of the ’90s, which propelled Feinstein into the limelight. So much so, that he even became involved in various ECW shows (even being choke-slammed by 911 after pushing Paul Heyman!).
911 would lead to Feinstein’s downfall again, years later. Just, in a different way.
Allegedly (allegedly allegedly allegedly. Allegedly.), in 2004, Feinstein was one of the subjects of a media sting, targeting purported pedophiles in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
According to various reports, Feinstein was one of the individuals involved in the sting, which was a collaboration by local news affiliate NBC10 and the website, Perverted-Justice.com. South Coast Today, a subsidiary of the Massachusetts-based The Standard Times, reported on March 6, 2004 that Feinstein was “forced to resign this week, amidst reports he tried to lure a 14-year-old boy into sexual acts in an AOL chat room.”
It was reported that Feinstein “the 20-something owner of Philadelphia-based Ring of Honor and President of RF Video Inc.,” was caught on tape attempting to enter the home of who he thought was a 14-year-old boy named “Brandon.”
“Brandon,” was actually the product of Perverted-Justice.com.
“Apparently, an employee of the website met Feinstein in an AOL chat designed for Philadelphia-area homosexuals,” the report continued. “After numerous lengthy conversations, including phone calls in which Brandon’s voice was supplied by a computer, Feinstein finally showed up in his $70,000 Lexus. Once confronted by an NBC10 reporter, he jumped into his car and sped off.”
Video of the report can be seen below, thanks to @TeamKaos1998.
Due to the fact that this was a media sting and not an official police response, no charges were ever filed.
Still, Feinstein resigned from his position with Ring of Honor, allowing himself to be bought out by Cary Silkin.
“It is with deep regret that I step down as partner of Ring Of Honor Inc. and President of RF Video Inc.,” Feinstein said, in a statement issued to the media. “Due to recent allegations that have been lodged against me, it is in the best interest of both companies that until these allegations are resolved that I step down to avoid tarnishing the excellent reputation that has been built over the years of both companies.”
Fortunately for Ring of Honor, it thrived and only built on its reputation, despite its early association with Feinstein. Feinstein’s reputation, on the other hand, well…
Dave Meltzer, in the March 15, 2004 edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, wrote that “Feinstein, 32, who built RFVideo into the leading independent pro wrestling tape company in the U.S. and Ring of Honor into the hardcore darling, is now said to be gone from the company, by total necessity. He was identified on 3/3 by WCAU-TV in Philadelphia when he showed up at the door, and promptly ran off, jumping in his $70,000 Lexus, when, according to the newscast, he was showing up to meet a manufactured 14-year-old boy he had supposedly been corresponding with on instant messaging.”
Throughout the next 20 years, Feinstein maintained his innocence and, more or less, never faced any consequences. He still operates RF Video, and he has close relationships with many professional wrestlers, including Bret Hart and others.
Other wrestlers chose to sever ties with him, however. Below is a 2004 LiveJournal entry from former Ring of Honor and All Elite Wrestling Heavyweight Champion, Samoa Joe (courtesy of @CrissFighterBoi)
Recently, Feinstein appeared on camera in the crowd at the Smackdown taping held in Cleveland. And it went as well as one might expect.
Over the same few days, Feinstein took photos with multiple WWE Superstars, including Drew McIntyre, Bianca Belair, Damien Priest, and more.
But it was his photos with noted transphobe Logan Paul that drew the ire of Twitter/X.
To be fair to Paul, as well as the other wrestlers that took photos with Feinstein, it’s quite possible that they did not know who he was or what his (ALLEGED!!! ALLEGED ALLEGED ALLEGED! YOU CAN’T SUE US BECAUSE WE SAID ALLEGED!…and also there’s video.) history is.
It’s just that, yesterday Paul said that a woman defeating another woman in a boxing match at the Olympics was “the purest form of evil.” He said that because he thought the boxer was a trans woman. Most people who don’t like trans individuals (wrongly) assume that they’re out to “get the children.” Rob Feinstein, allegedly, was actually out to get the children. Even if said children were made up by a website in order to out him as a pedophile.
Maybe Paul will spend 30 seconds researching who Rob Feinstein is. It’s 30 seconds more than he spent researching who Imane Khelif was. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll issue an apology for appearing in the picture. Because that’s an actual “oopsies.”
Follow Nick on Twitter/X at @WesternRebel
If you enjoy Bodyslam’s content, you can help donate to the site here. You can also visit our PWTees store and buy Bodyslam official merchandise here.
You can listen to all of Bodyslam’s podcasts by following us on Spotify and subscribing to our YouTube Channel, or any of your favorite podcast platforms.
Be sure to check out Bodyslam.Net for all of your pro wrestling and MMA news!!
