New text messages indicate that New York City fashion entrepreneur Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra felt she was being “harassed” and accused of fraud by financier Chris Durnan in the days leading up to her death on his Montauk boat. Nolan-O’Slatarra, 33, was found dead on Durnan's yacht, the "Ripple," on August 4, 2025.

Durnan, who had invested $250,000 for approximately 13% of Nolan-O’Slatarra’s company East x East in 2022, began sending accusatory messages to Nolan-O’Slatarra and her business partner, Dylan Grace, on August 1, 2025, after the designer had blocked his number. Texts obtained by The Post show Nolan-O’Slatarra assuring Grace she would meet with Durnan to address the fraud claims.

"I'm getting harassed," Nolan-O’Slatarra wrote to Grace on August 2, 2025, complaining that Durnan was texting her excessively, calling her a ghost and seeking attention. Grace had asked Nolan-O’Slatarra to unblock Durnan for the weekend, to which she agreed.

Nolan-O’Slatarra met with Durnan on his boat, "Hell in a Bucket," at the Montauk Yacht Club around 7:30 p.m. on August 4, 2025. They took a tour of the water and drank champagne before returning to the yacht club and moving to Durnan’s other boat, "Ripple." EMTs responded to the boat at midnight and found Nolan-O’Slatarra deceased, clothed, and covered in blood. Durnan was found naked on the dock, attempting to perform CPR after hailing another man who called 911.

Durnan has not been accused of any wrongdoing in connection with Nolan-O’Slatarra’s death, and his lawyer stated that Durnan removed his clothing because it was covered in vomit. However, an EMT report obtained by The Post did not mention vomit, and his clothes were not recovered.

The estate of Martha Nolan-O’Slatarra has filed a $50 million wrongful death lawsuit against Durnan in Manhattan Supreme Court. "She agreed to meet him. She died at that meeting," said Mike Bowe, lawyer for Brithem LLP, representing Nolan-O’Slatarra’s family. The estate has also opened a tip line seeking information related to the investigation.

Representatives for Nolan-O’Slatarra, Durnan, and his attorney did not respond to requests for comment from The Post.