'The Office' Star Shira Scott Astrof Slams Possible Early Release of Tinder Attacker: 'There’s No Justice System Here'

Shira Scott Astrof is “terrified” after learning that her attacker, a serial sexual offender named Matthew Werner, could walk free in October after serving less than a year in prison.

The Office actress told New York Post in a recent interview, “It’s like a never-ending battle, and it shouldn’t be this hard.”

“There’s no justice system here. We have to be our own advocate,” she added.

Astrof met Werner on Tinder, where he allegedly matched with and catfished several of his victims, luring them in during 2015. At the time, he was reportedly posing as a Swedish footballer named Sebastian Larsson.

According to the actress, she told him she was unwell on the day they were supposed to meet. Werner then offered to bring soup to her apartment, which she seemingly agreed to.

She recalled that the Massachusetts native was nice enough at first. However, he quickly started behaving erratically and revealed that he brought cocaine, before snorting a line of the drug right in front of her.

Shortly after, he attacked her from behind and started choking her. He also dislocated her shoulder during the ordeal, leaving her on the floor and walking out.

She quickly reported the incident to the authorities and was taken to the hospital.

“He’s a coward that has to attack you when your back is turned,” Astrof said, before adding, “He has no soul.”

However, in the following years, she was allegedly told that her case wasn't strong enough to hold on its own and that she needed more victims to come forward with their stories for there to be a substantial ground to charge him.

Eventually, police linked the accused to at least half a dozen sexual assault crimes across L.A. County and arrested him in 2023 in Las Vegas, per the outlet.

Per the outlet, the case never went to trial. However, Werner was offered a plea deal in 2023 in which he would have to admit to one count of felony assault and one misdemeanor count of sexual battery.

He would also have to register himself as a s– offender. Per the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office, he was given probation for his offenses at the time.

However, after repeated violations of his probation, he was finally sentenced to four years behind bars in February this year. One of the violations included him continuing to talk to women online using fake aliases, which he previously used to commit his drug-fueled crimes.

“I kept emailing them and I kept saying like, ‘You need to find him, you need to trace him. I know that he’s not abiding by anything,’” Astrof told the outlet.

“I’ve just been the detective on my own case in every way,” she added.

During one of her routine online checks of his prison status, she learned that he would be eligible for parole in October, just nine months after he was sentenced for his crimes.

“I spoke to the two main detectives on the case two days ago, and they both had no idea why it was happening,” she said.

“I’m a sitting target. He knows everything about me; he knows where I live. He won’t stop; we already know that. He’s already violated every single part of his probation,” she added.

Now, with no hopes left from the judiciary system, Astrof is pleading for one of Werner’s alleged victims to come forward to speak up.

“I just wish I could get the message to them that, ‘He’s already been convicted of raping someone. I’ve already done the legwork. You just have to come forward,’” she urged.

“I just need one of them, just one to come forward and keep him there,” she added.