Tess Crosley’s leaked DMs about ‘swinging’ scandal… Plus, Bondi Boost mogul ditches English wedding to former escort – and Rich Lister rules out Kristin Fisher romance after rumoured hook-up: THE GROUP CHAT

Secret ceremony

Congratulations are overdue for multimillionaire BondiBoost founder Alexandra Jakob and her bisexual businessman beau Michael Burn, previously Australia’s highest-paid male escort.

Jakob was due to marry English-born Burn – known as ‘Mr Jake’ in his highly profitable gigolo days – in a lavish ceremony at the 17th-century Grantley Hall in the Yorkshire Dales last month.

But with ongoing legal troubles embroiling the bride-to-be, her ex-husband Gabriel Jakob, Burn, and his former boyfriend Geoffrey Williams, those long-planned festivities have been ditched for something simpler. 

Jakob and Burn – who has her name tattooed across his chest – have made no public announcement but we can confirm the quirky couple has secretly tied the knot and is currently honeymooning in the Maldives.

The pair met in September 2023 at Totti’s restaurant in Bondi and threw an extravagant engagement party in November the following year. That shindig took place at the $100million home Jakob once shared with her previous husband at Point Piper.

Jakob threw a bridal party for eight of the 44-year-old’s closest girlfriends at Bambini Trust in the city in January – an event described by one media outlet as being ‘just weeks out from her wedding’.

Whether the newlyweds still intend to gather family and friends to celebrate their union after their low-key nuptials remains unclear.

Burn was until four months ago the subject of a restraining order taken out by police to protect Gabriel Jakob. He was cleared of three charges of stalking or intimidating the Swedish-born entrepreneur in December last year.

Gabriel’s 12-year relationship with Alexandra ended in separation in May 2023, followed by an acrimonious May 2024 divorce.

Alexandra is currently suing Gabriel in the Federal Court, alleging he has falsely taken credit for her phenomenal business success, something he denies vehemently.

Gabriel, who now runs investment firm Hyper Capita, was a brand manager for the freight company Pack & Send when he met Alexandra in early 2011. She had started what became a childcare empire in 2007 and established the BondiBoost hair care brand in 2018.

Little Learning School and BondiBoost, of which both Gabriel and Alexandra were shareholders, were sold for $100million and $180m respectively during their marriage.

The Federal Court case was last before a judge in September and is ongoing. Alexandra is also set to square off with her ex-husband in November for a three-day hearing into domestic violence allegations against her.

Alexandra has pleaded not guilty to two counts of common assault, two of stalking/intimidation and one of entering a building or land with intent to commit an indictable offence.

In April, she appeared in Sydney’s Downing Centre Local Court to support Burn when an apprehended violence order privately sought by him against Williams was ultimately dismissed.

That hearing featured Williams telling the court Alexandra had called him in September 2024 after learning of his romantic history with her fiancé.

‘She asked what position [Burn] takes in the bedroom,’ Williams said, apparently meaning Alexandra wanted to know whether Burn was the top or bottom during his previous sex life.

We have previously reported Burn moved on from paid sex work to be co-founder and CEO of money lender Jingle, ‘a digital-first Australian fintech redefining how people access personal credit’.

Jingle’s website appears to make no mention of Burn or how he came to be a financial whizz, considering the 38-year-old is best-known for taking money to bed women.

Burn’s personal website offers some insight into his previous business acumen, but his main bio there entirely skips his most notable previous profession.

‘Before Jingle, Michael built a multi-sector career across retail, streetwear fashion, recruitment, and security technology,’ it says. ‘His strengths lie in strategic execution, business reinvention, and building ventures that are both profitable and purpose-led.’

Under a separate ‘experience’ heading, Burn does tell his followers what he had been doing from September 2021 to October 2023.

‘Before launching his career in fintech and business strategy, Michael Burn was known to a private elite circle of celebrities, politicians, and high-net-worth individuals as Mr Jake and Australia’s highest-paid and most awarded male companion,’ he says.

Before that, he was sales manager at MTrec Recruitment for two years up to March 2020, and before that ‘business partner and director’ of Statement Clothing.

Burn lists his occupation from September 2015 until February 2018 as in ‘adult entertainment’, where he worked as ‘Jake Ryan’ – ‘a companion who built a quiet reputation on charm, discretion, and the ability to connect with people’.

Burn’s LinkedIn account goes further to explain what he learnt about business from his time as Mr Jake: ‘His service wasn’t transactional it was transformational.’

‘With 13 industry awards and a waiting list of high-profile clientele, Mr Jake wasn’t just a name; he was a brand,’ it states.

‘The experience taught Michael more than any boardroom ever could: how to listen deeply, perform under pressure, and deliver personalised experiences that left a lasting impact. These foundations now shape his entrepreneurial ethos particularly in how he leads, builds customer-centric brands, and scales businesses with integrity.’

Tess debriefs in DMs 

AFL mistress Tess Crosley is not quite ready to let her infamous chapter of Mormon housewife folklore become TikTok fodder.

The mother-of-one, whose highly publicised affair with Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale spectacularly blew up both her marriage and that of her former best friend Jules Neale, has found herself back in the gossip cycle – this time thanks to a leaked DM.

Crosley privately messaged Australian TikTok personality @ItsBrontes after a video discussing the scandal landed in her social media feed.

And while Crosley may not have wanted to discuss the sordid details after appealing on the Daily Mail podcast The Debrief, she certainly seemed happy to clarify them in private.

‘Your video literally came to the top of my feed. There is truth to the swinger rumour but it’s not my place to talk about it,’ the leaked message read.

Well, that’s one way to keep a rumour alive. Onya Tess. 

But Crosley then muddied the water – noting that Jules Neale had denied that swinging had occurred in her own podcast.

‘Jules denied it in hers and I would have unpacked it deeper if I knew she was also filming a podcast with keeping boundaries and respect in place for other people.’

The Group Chat doesn’t suggest the rumour is true.  

Crosley then made one final request: ‘Would appreciate if you could keep this private’.

Awkward.

@ItsBrontes seemingly agreed to take down the TikTok clip – only for it to land in my inbox.

‘I have no intention of dating KF’ 

Clarification corner! Last week, we reported that pub baron Stu Laundy had enjoyed a dirty weekend with Double Bay brow queen Kristin Fisher around the time of the preliminary AFL final.

Several sources claimed Fisher, who split from 28-year-old toyboy Shannon Sykes only recently, was in Laundy’s company before turning up at the Swans v Freo clash at the SCG in rather high spirits.

It was a disappointing night for the Bloods, with WA gal Fisher’s favourite team besting them by 12 points to secure a ticket to the grand final… but we imagined Fisher helped smooth over any wounds that night after Stu’s team was knocked out.

Since then, Laundy, whose family owns some of Sydney’s best pubs as well as Nine’s former talkback radio stations, has been in touch with a clarification… of sorts.

There was no denial of a hook-up (wonder why?) but the affable businessman did want to make clear that Fisher wasn’t his girlfriend.

‘For future reference, I’m not dating KF and have absolutely no intention of dating KF,’ he told The Group Chat via text.

‘She is a wonderful friend from a wonderful family.

‘I’ve not been to an AFL game since Tony Lockett kicked his 1000th goal in the mid ’90s. Our pub The Light Brigade loves the Sydney Swans and so do we.

‘Hopefully that sets you guys straight in future.’