Boy George
arrested on kidnapping claim

After an escort told London authorities about being kidnapped and handcuffed by Boy George, the former pop star was arrested Saturday on false imprisonment and assault charges, then later released on bail. Auden Carlsen, 28, told police that the singer kidnapped him after he was hired for the evening to pose for photos.

"George said he was popping out for milk at 5 a.m.," Carlsen said, according to his interview with The Sun tabloid. "I heard him come back, and I walked into his bedroom wearing just my T-shirt. I was jumped on by George and another man. George handcuffed me to a hook by the bed as they held me down."

Carlsen said he managed to free himself, escape from the apartment, then notify police early Saturday morning.

"It's ironic that his biggest hit was 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,' " he said, "because I'm sure he did want to hurt me. I was convinced I was going to die."

George, whose real name is George O'Dowd, did not comment, but his brother Kevin said the singer laughed off the allegations.

"The bloke has done a fair bit of modeling for our clothes shop, so how can what he said be true?" Kevin said in the article. "George isn't at all annoyed at the allegations; in fact, he thinks it's hilarious. Yeah, he was arrested, but the police are always going to follow it up when someone makes a complaint like that." (The Advocate)