They pretended it was love, but it was all a trick—stealing people’s money and breaking their hearts.

• Victims hid scams out of shame, struggled to trust again

• Fraudsters demanded money for fake fines, travel, emergencies

• Funds sent to bank accounts or by post, mostly in UK, some abroad

• CPS: men used affection and grooming tactics, causing deep emotional harm

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Five individuals have been sentenced for running a romance scam that funneled over £2 million through laundering schemes.

Between 2017 and 2024, prosecutors confirmed 40 direct victims, while nearly 100 people are believed to have been targeted.

At Guildford Crown Court, Fawaz Ali (27), Ebenezer Tackie (42), and Michael Quartey (28) were handed prison terms of 4 years 10 months, 4 years 6 months, and 5 years 6 months.

Kwabena Edusei (37) received 7 years 10 months, and George Melseaux (40) was jailed for 3 years 9 months.

One person affected shared how the fraud left them homeless after being unable to manage rising living costs.

Many victims described deep shame, saying they hid the fraud from family and friends out of fear and embarrassment. One explained that she now avoids closeness with men, always questioning their intentions. Another admitted it took years to rebuild trust after being deceived.

Scammers tricked people into sending funds for fake emergencies, such as penalties in far-off places or urgent travel. Payments were moved into the offenders’ bank accounts, and in some cases, victims even mailed cash.

According to prosecutors, the group lured victims with affectionate words, convincing them they were in real relationships. Most of the money was funneled within the UK, though cases also appeared in Europe, the United States, and Australia.

Jane Mitchell, a Crown Prosecution Service specialist, said the men preyed on people they met through dating sites purely to exploit them. She noted that they relied on grooming tactics to gain trust, leaving behind lasting emotional harm.

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