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Two guilty over match.com dating site scam | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Two men have been convicted for their roles in a scam to con 12 women out of nearly £250,000 via a dating website. | |
Winchester Crown Court heard the fictional "James Richards" told women using match.com he needed money to release a £100m inheritance in India. | |
One victim handed over £174,000. | |
Peter Monty Emu, 28, of Portsmouth, and Adewunmi Nusi, 27, of Hermitage, Berkshire, were convicted of money laundering. Chukwuka Ugwu, 28, and Emmanuel Oko admitted the same charge. | |
Oko, 29, of Waverley Grove, Southsea, also admitted fraud. | |
The four men are due to be sentenced next month and the Crown Prosecution Service will apply for the "ill-gotten" money to be confiscated. | |
The court heard how fake profiles were created on the dating site. | |
Women were flattered by the messages from the "attractive middle-aged man", one of which said: "I knew our friendship would grow from the first day we spoke but neither one of us could imagine the love exploding, no thundering into our hearts." | |
'Elaborate scam' | |
Once the relationships developed, the conspirators started requesting cash. | |
The women were first asked for a £700 legal fee by a fake solicitor but then the sums requested rose to up to £100,000. | |
One victim, Suzanne Hardman, handed over £174,000. | |
Suspicions were raised when one woman received the same email twice and wrote back to the sender, saying: "I wonder how many hearts you have broken". | |
Det Con Darrin Carey, of Hampshire Constabulary, said: "The women were duped into thinking that they were talking to a man who was genuinely looking for love on the dating website match.com. | |
"Unfortunately for them, they were part of an elaborate scam." | |
Abbey Boston, 28, of Titchfield, Hampshire, was cleared of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. | |
Eberechi Ekpo, 26, of Portsmouth was acquitted under directions of the judge on 29 August. | Eberechi Ekpo, 26, of Portsmouth was acquitted under directions of the judge on 29 August. |
Match.com has been contacted for a comment. |