A man who is suspected of stalking Emma Watson has been arrested in Oxford after turning up at her university and demanding to see her.
The Harry Potter star, 34, is currently studying for a masters degree in creative writing at Oxford University after graduating from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in English literature in 2014.
Chad Michael Busto, 44, was arrested on June 26 after Oxford locals reported he had been asking questions about Watson.
Busto, who is American, told The Sun he arrived in the UK with £800 and a sleeping bag and had been sleeping in Oxford Church ahead of his visit to the English department at the university where he tried to “gain information”.
The 44-year-old claimed he wanted to “connect” with Watson to talk to her about a ‘big case’ he claimed to have won in the United States in 2021.
Busto claimed officials had made plans to deport him and he wanted to claim a British citizenship.
“They are illegally detaining me and I have no idea when I’ll be allowed to leave,” he alleged. “Police have my possessions. I’m on the run, there’s a danger to my life.”
Emma Watson attends the Elton John AIDS Foundation's 31st Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party (Getty Images for Elton John AIDS)
Police said an American man, 44, was held on suspicion of stalking and released under investigation.
It comes after Busto was previously arrested in September for allegedly breaking into a fashion show dressing room in New York and shouting that he wanted to marry Watson.
He told The Sun his words were “taken out of context” and said he wanted to get Watson’s attention, adding “it kind of worked” in the way he wanted.
He pleaded not guilty to charges of trespass and disorderly conduct and was released without bail.
Busto was also “temporarily detained” in Long Island after “going door to door telling area residents that he was looking for Drew Barrymore’s residence”. Prior to this, he had also attempted to storm the stage at a talk conducted by Barrymore in New York City.
In a TikTok recording, a member of the audience can be heard shouting “Drew Barrymore”, causing her to look up in shock.
“Oh my god, yes? Hi!,” she said, looking over at the side of the stage.
The man went on to identify himself as “Chad Michael Busto”, telling her: “You know who I am. I need to see you at some point while you’re in New York.”
An on-stage security guard quickly intercepted the man, while a second security guard helped lead him away.
A spokesperson for the New York City Police Department told The Independent at the time that no complaints had been filed over the incident.
