Synergy Pro Wrestling has shut down after it was revealed the owner Patrick Shea (using the name Colin West) is a registered sex offender in New Jersey.
Shea was convicted in 1999 of aggravated criminal sexual contact with the details saying "registrant sexually assaulted three male acquaintance between the ages of 6 and 10. Also, in a separate case registrant sexually assaulted a 12-year-old male acquaintance."
Terra Calaway first brought the details to light.
Additional incidents in 2004 have also been located. https://t.co/nyV7YqxrIG pic.twitter.com/bQg1FUZRI0
— Queen of the Dinosaurs -- (@TerraCalaway) March 5, 2021
Wrestlers such as Gabby Ortiz, Frightmare, Leon St. Giovanni, and more stated they were no longer affiliated with Synergy Pro Wrestling as a result of the information coming out and IWTV cut ties with the promotion as well.
Effective immediately IWTV will no longer be affiliated with Synergy Pro Wrestling.
— IWTV (@indiewrestling) March 5, 2021
The Synergy Pro Wrestling twitter account was deactivated and the following statement was posted on the Synergy website:
I'm going to keep this short, as I know nothing I say will mean much to many of you.
I'm sorry I was not strong enough to break the cycle of abuse. It happened to me as a teenager & I should have been better. I was not. This is not an excuse. My actions were disgusting, and you have every right to be disgusted by them.
I have taken great strides to become a better man. Nothing I can do will change what was done. I can never fully repay that debt. But I can spend the rest of my life trying, and I will.
Please do not take this out on the Synergy roster. They did not know. They are very good wrestlers & even better people. I'm sure they are hurting enough right now. Please support them.
It is clear by public opinion I am not welcome, and I will be leaving wrestling immediately. I will make no effort to return or be involved.
I hope I have proven to some of you along the way that people can change. You weren't deceived. I am who I portray myself to be. I hate what I did decades ago. But I am proud of who I am today.
My primary goal in wrestling was to make people happy. I'm sorry I failed.
As noted in the statement, wrestlers did not know of Shea's past as he used the name Colin West when associated with Synergy.
Synergy was scheduled to take part in the IWTV Showcase of the Independents during WrestleMania week. The company also announced a co-branded territory championship alongside UWA Elite and ECWA.
