A woman named Leonnie Robson has been sentenced to over two years in prison for a calculated campaign of deception, preying on the kindness of men she met online.
The court heard Robson systematically manipulated her victims, weaving elaborate tales of hardship to extract money from them. She skillfully exploited their empathy, fabricating stories designed to tug at their heartstrings and gain their trust.
Her lies were shockingly detailed and varied. Robson claimed to be escaping domestic violence, undergoing grueling chemotherapy treatments, and struggling to provide for her children, even inventing a tragic story about her daughter’s suicide.
The fraud began on a Facebook dating site, quickly moving to private WhatsApp conversations where Robson would subtly begin requesting small sums of money – initially just ten or twenty pounds.
These small requests escalated, with Robson repeatedly returning for more, always offering new, heartbreaking reasons for her financial desperation. She expertly avoided repayment, offering a constant stream of excuses before ultimately cutting off all contact by blocking her victims.
The scheme unraveled when a concerned carer noticed one of the victims consistently sending money to someone he’d met online. This prompted a report that ultimately led to Robson’s arrest.
Robson pleaded guilty to five counts of fraud, with two additional similar offenses considered during sentencing. The court learned she had demonstrated “significant planning” in her deceitful actions.
Judge Alice Robinson condemned Robson’s actions, stating she had been “spinning them lies about your personal life” to exploit their sympathy. She emphasized the devastating impact on the victims, particularly one who was relentlessly pursued for every penny he possessed.
The judge delivered a two-year and nine-week prison sentence, acknowledging the gravity of the offenses. She urged anyone suspecting they or someone they know has been targeted by a romance fraudster to immediately contact Action Fraud for support.
The court’s warning was clear: never send money, share financial details, or invest based on advice from someone met online, no matter how convincing their story may seem. Protecting oneself requires vigilance and a healthy dose of skepticism.
