Woman 'staged her own rape to frame husband's ex-lover'

Innocent ex-fiancée in prison for nearly three months before prosecutors unearth, what they say, is elaborate fraud by Angela Diaz

Michelle Hadley speaking to the media on Monday after being cleared of all charges (Jeff Gritchen/AP)

A woman staged her own rape to frame her husband’s former lover in a “diabolical scheme”, according to a US attorney.

Angela Diaz allegedly sent herself threatening emails, pretended she was pregnant, made false police reports, faked a crime scene and posed as a victim of a “rape fantasy ad”.

Her husband’s ex-fiancée Michelle Hadley, who she allegedly framed, was initially arrested and was only released in October after nearly three months in prison.

All charges against the 30-year-old were dropped by US prosecutors on Monday and 31-year-old Ms Diaz was arrested last week.

Michelle Hadley leaving court with her attorney Michael Guisti, left, and her father, Michael Hadley, behind her Jeff Gritchen/AP (Jeff Gritchen/AP)

“When someone who’s innocent gets arrested and charged with a crime, it’s not just a bad day, it’s a nightmare,” said Orange County district attorney Tony Rackauckas.

“As important as the filing of charges against Ms Diaz, is the dismissal of the previous complaint and full exoneration of Michelle Hadley.

“This is a very detailed case. I wanted to make sure, however, that Ms Hadley is cleared in every possible way – in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.

“It should be clear in the media and in cyberspace. Ms Hadley is an innocent victim of a diabolical scheme.”

Ms Hadley, from California, broke up with the 39-year-old deputy US marshal, named only as John Doe in court papers, after a two-year relationship ending in August 2015 - according to the Orange County district attorney's office.

Mr Rackauckas said Hadley wrote Mr Doe emails, including religious language, in the aftermath of the break up, but that contact ceased in autumn that year.

After Mr Doe and Ms Dias met in January 2016 via a dating website, they were married within two months, and in May 2016 she allegedly lied by saying she was pregnant.

She claimed at a police station, on 1 June with her husband, that Ms Hadley sent her emails threatening to kill and rape her – which Mr Rackauckas said were actually sent from Ms Diaz herself via virtual private networks and third-party proxy servers.

Ms Diaz also claimed Ms Hadley had created an advert on website Cragslist pointing men to her address to carry out rape fantasies.

On June 24, 2016, Ms Diaz called 911, saying a man tried to rape her in the garage of her home, and police found her with her shirt torn and redness on her neck and breasts.

Ms Hadley was arrested that day, and was held in custody between 14 July and 7 October on a $1m bail.

Deputy District Attorney Richard Zimmer told DailyMail.com that Ms Diaz was rumbled after police spent “a few months” unwinding third party proxy servers which led them to IP addresses in Ms Diaz’s condo, her father’s apartment and her mobile phone.

Ms Diaz, who allegedly has a history of fraud and is in the process of a divorce from Mr Doe, is in custody in Arizona and is expected to be extradited to California within the next week.