Who is Melissa Rein Lively? MAGA influencer, her boyfriend charged in connection to racially-motivated assault in London

Melissa Rein Lively, a supporter of Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, and Philipp Ostermann, are facing charges following an incident at a London transit station.

Published on: May 17, 2026 3:26 PM IST

By Sumanti Sen

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

A MAGA influencer and her boyfriend who were allegedly involved in a racially-motivated assault have been charged, People reported. Melissa Rein Lively, a supporter of President Donald Trump’s Make America Great Again movement, and Philipp Ostermann, are now facing charges following an incident at a London transit station last year, according to a news release from British Transport Police (BTP).

Lively, 40, was charged with one count of assault by beating. On the other hand, 37-year-old Ostermann was charged with two racially aggravated public order offenses and a further public order offense.

Who is Melissa Rein Lively?

Lively is a PR executive who identifies herself on TikTok as the “Founder of America's #1 Anti-Woke PR Firm.” She has been a vocal supporter of Trump for years. She even launched a bid to become the White House Press Secretary, Politico reported.

Ostermann, on the other hand, is an associate director of a Munich-based private equity company called Aequita, according to Metro UK.

According to police, the charges are in connection with an October 2025 incident that took place at the Bond Street Underground station. The BBC reported that a woman filed the charges after claiming that she was abused based on her race and had her hair grabbed while entering the station.

The woman who filed the report recalled that the stroller collided with another woman walking ahead of her, according to Metro UK.

A man accompanying the woman reportedly started shouting at the alleged victim, per the BBC and Metro UK. The woman allegedly grabbed the other's hair.

The man then allegedly used what he claimed was pepper spray in the direction of the woman, who was with her family at the time.

While Ostermann is a German national, Lively is a US national. The first hearing is set to take place at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, May 19.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen
Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.Read More

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.