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What Did Scott Swift Do? Taylor Swift’s Dad Not Charged After Alleged Paparazzi Altercation
Taylor Swift’s dad, Scott Swift, made headlines after an alleged altercation with a photographer in Sydney, Australia, on February 27, 2024. One month later, after an investigation by the Sydney police, Scott was not charged for the incident. What exactly happened, and how did the investigation unfold?
What Did Scott Swift Do in Alleged Paparazzi Altercation?
Scott Swift was accused of assaulting a photographer. Ben McDonald told the Daily Mail that Taylor’s dad “charged” at him on a ferry wharf at Neutral Bay in Australia.
The A-list singer and her dad were getting off a boat in Sydney when the alleged altercation occurred. “In 23 years of taking pictures, I have never seen anything like it,” the CEO of Matrix Media Group claimed. “She got off the boat, she walked towards security guards who were shoving umbrellas in our faces.”
A rep for the “Karma” singer added, “Two individuals were aggressively pushing their way towards Taylor, grabbing at her security personnel, and threatening to throw a female staff member into the water.” Taylor’s team did not immediately respond to Life & Style’s request for comment.
Photos and video showed Taylor and her dad exiting the yacht, with the singer hiding under a large black umbrella one day after she played four back-to-back shows at Accor Stadium. The North Shore police force reportedly opened an investigation into the incident, per Page Six.
The police department confirmed to People that they were “investigating an alleged assault after a 71-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 51-year-old man at Neutral Bay Wharf.” However, they did not identify the alleged perpetrator or victim.
McDonald told TMZ that he would be willing to put the incident to rest if Scott issued an “apology” to him. He added that he was only doing his job at the time of the altercation and that the “visuals” would speak for themselves.
McDonald also addressed reports that Nicole Kidman had a restraining order against him. The actress was granted the restraining order in 2005 after an electronic listening device was found outside her home, People reported at the time. McDonald and another photographer Jamie Fawcett were ordered not to go within 60 feet of Nicole. The Big Little Lies star said she was “a virtual prisoner in her Sydney home and feared for her safety,” according to People.
McDonald told TMZ that the story was “sensationalized” and denied planting a listening device near her home. He also said that a judge did not find enough evidence to grant a permanent restraining order.
New South Wales police confirmed to Daily Mail Australia on March 26, 2024, that no further action was taken over the incident between McDonald and Scott, meaning Scott was not charged.
Who Is Scott Swift?
Scott is Taylor Swift’s dad. He previously worked as a stockbroker and financial advisor for Merill Lynch after graduating from the business school at the University of Delaware in 1974.
The finance expert married Taylor’s mom, Andrea Swift, in February 1988. In addition to Taylor, they also share a son, Austin Swift, born in 1992. Scott and Andrea raised their kids in Pennsylvania and moved to Hendersonville, Tennessee, in 2004 to support Taylor’s country music career.
Taylor Swift’s Relationship With Dad Scott Swift
Taylor has an extremely close relationship with her dad. Scott is often seen in the crowd at Taylor’s shows, including international dates on her Eras tour. Before the alleged paparazzi incident, Scott attended all four of his daughter’s concerts in Sydney and was even seen handing sandwiches out to fans in the crowd.
The University of Delaware alum is understandably protective of his daughter. He expressed his fears over his daughter’s safety in the 2020 documentary Miss Americana. After Taylor told her parents that she wanted to speak publicly about her political views for the first time and support the Democratic party, Scott was admittedly worried that she would be targeted by those who did not have the same political stance.
“Right now, I’m terrified,” Scott told Taylor. “I’m the guy that went out and brought armored cars [to protect you].” Despite her father’s warnings and pleas to stay quiet on the subject, Taylor went ahead with her endorsement. “I need to be on the right side of history,” she insisted. “Dad, I need you to forgive me for doing it because I’m doing it.”
