A young woman's story is being compared to best-selling erotic book Fifty Shades of Grey. But the woman is denying a published report that claims she was a sex slave. INSIDE EDITION gets her side of the story.
A woman is speaking out exclusively to INSIDE EDITION about her kinky relationship with a wealthy Manhattan investment banker.
Her name is Frankie Santiago, and her story really does sound like a real-life Fifty Shades of Grey, the erotic novel that's become a world-wide publishing phenomenon.
INSIDE EDITION's Paul Boyd said, "You're not happy with the way you've been portrayed."
"No. I'm someone's sex slave. Really?" said Santiago.
The book and its two sequels have been numbers one, two, three on The New York Times bestseller list for months now, with millions of copies sold.
Boyd asked, "How do you feel being compared to this Fifty Shades of Grey phenomenon?"
"I never read the book. Why am I being compared to a book?" said Santiago.
Here's why. A photo along with the headline "Fifty Shades of Rage" was splashed on the New York Post's front page. The article says 27-year-old Santiago was the live-in sex slave of her boyfriend, Edward Sonderling for three years, receiving daily whippings.
"Were you this guy's sex slave?" asked Boyd.
"No! All my closest friends were shocked. It's embarrassing. 'Hey mom, I'm on the cover of the New York Post as someone's sex slave,' " said Santiago.
The trim and muscular Sonderling is 53, but could pass for years younger. He's a graduate of the prestigious Brown University and owns his own investment banking firm. But he has a secret, as exposed on his MySpace page. He calls himself "Eddo" and posted pictures of himself dressed head-to-toe in latex. In one photo he's wearing a leather vest and a whip. In another photo, he poses with scantily-clad women at a club.
Frankie told Boyd that the lifestyle that looks so outlandish to the rest of us, is no big deal.
"I go to parties. I've always gone to parties, and the reason why you go and you look for these parties is because they're cool," said Santiago.
Her story got on the front page after Sonderling dumped her for another woman, and she allegedly went ballistic. She was arrested for smashing her ex-boyfriend's windshield and allegedly texting him: "If I ever see you with her I will not hold back."
Sonderling hid behind an umbrella when INSIDE EDITION caught up to him outside his apartment. But he told us in a statement:
"I lead a conventional lifestyle. I ended this relationship 6 months ago. Subsequently I was victimized by a pattern of harassment. I am not interested in a public argument. It is in the hands of the authorities."
Santiago said, "It's a fight. Something's over and people get angry."
Just like in the book, there are multiple shades to this story.
