Bali police give update on Aussie AFL star Ricky Olarenshaw over illegal sex spa probe – as his wife faces 12 years in jail for allegedly running a brothel

Balinese police have no plans to question AFL star Ricky Olarenshaw over ownership of a spa where his estranged wife is accused of running a brothel.

Sarnanitha ‘Nitha’ Olarenshaw claims she was illegally detained after being arrested over allegations that sex was offered at her Flame Seminyak spa.

Olarenshaw, an Instagram influencer with 20,000 followers, could face up to 12 years in prison if he is charged and found guilty of alleged “pornographic and prostitution” activities at the company.

Her lawyer, Donny Tri Istiqomah, told Daily Mail Australia last week that Olarenshaw had been the victim of “exploitation” and “criminalisation” by foreigners.

Mr Istigomah said while Olarenshaw, who is Balinese, owned 99 percent of the company to avoid local laws, all profits went to four Australians who had a stake in Flame.

Olarenshaw claims the four Australians are her estranged husband Ricky, his brother Darren and two other Bali-based Australians, Adam Dalby and Gregory Hinchliffe.

Mr Istigomah stressed that Flame Seminyak, part of a chain of spas with sister centers in Kuta and Canggu, only offers “sensual massages, not intercourse”.

On Monday, Bali police said they were working to conclude the investigation into Olarenshaw “as quickly as possible.”

Police spokesman Jansen Avitus Panjaitan said while Flame’s property was part of the investigation, there were no plans to interview Ricky Olarenshaw.

Mr Panjaitan said based on legal documents available to police, the four Australians, including Ricky Olarenshaw, “had nothing to do with it”.

“If later we think we need to call them up, we will,” he said. “But so far, there [is no] I plan to do that.’

Olarenshaw is being held at the Bali Police Detention and Evidence Directorate along with Melbourne couple Michael and Lynley Le Grand, who were arrested separately for alleged prostitution at the Pink Palace Spa.

Mr Panjaitan said police believed they had already taken into custody all those responsible for allowing prostitution in their businesses.

“Anyone can claim a company as their own, but if there is no legal document to prove it, how can we prove it?” he said.

“How can you prove it’s yours if you don’t have the document proving it’s yours?”

Mr Panjaitan said providing capital to a company does not make one legally responsible for how it is run.

Mr Istiqomah previously provided his client’s explanation of the spa’s ownership to Daily Mail Australia.

“The police are in doubt because the legal document only had Nitha’s name on it,” he said. ‘[But] this is a common practice in Bali.

“As we know, foreign investment in Indonesia must have a capital of at least 10 billion rupiah (AU$1 million).

‘That’s why they usually use local people as owners. Many companies owned by foreigners use the Indonesian name, which is their wife’s name. Researchers must realize this.’

Mr Istiqomah said his client’s hearing on October 28, which he hoped would acquit her, would provide relief.

Olarenshaw is believed to have returned to Australia just days before Bali police raided the Flame spa in late September.

Nitha was taken into custody last week, along with three Flame employees.

The case is still under investigation, but prostitution and sex work are highly illegal in Bali and are considered a crime against ‘decency and morality’ in the country.

Flame Spa’s services range from $95 to $181 per session and its motto is said to have been: ‘Our service is more than just a sensual massage, it’s an erotic experience.

“Our goal is to ignite your flame.”

The Instagram profile reportedly advertised “Bali’s premier sensual massage.”

The TikTok page is said to have advised customers to ‘bring your date or partner’ to ‘enjoy the experience with us’.

During a police raid on Flame, a massage therapist was found ‘completely naked’.

Olarenshaw’s LinkedIn describes herself as the ‘self-employed’ owner of Flame Spa since July 2017 and her personal Instagram labels her a ‘womanpreneur’.

Since the allegations against her came to light, she has set her Instagram account, which has 23,000 followers, to private.

Olarenshaw moved to Bali after retiring from the AFL and has since become director of three F45 gym studios there.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting there was any wrongdoing on Olarenshaw’s behalf, or that he was aware of any alleged illegal activity taking place at the spa.

Nitha claims that she divorced her husband earlier this year. Her lawyer said she “just wants to live in peace with her daughter.”