Cruel romance fraudsters caged Two men preyed on vulnerable women in £35,000 scam

TWO crooks who preyed on vulnerable women in an online dating scam have been jailed for a total of five and a half years. Sidney Ochouba, 40, and Busayo Oladapo, 38, used bogus names to con seven victims between 2014 and 2015.

They posed as men apparently stranded while working in Syria for the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The women had turned to the dating sites including Plenty More Fish looking for company.

One had described herself feeling “lonely” after her husband passed away.

Prosecutors said £35,000 was gained from the callous scam.

Ochouba, of the city’s Gorbals, and Oladapo, of Govan, were yesterday sentenced at Glasgow Sheriff Court.

The duo had earlier been convicted of being involved in the fraud as well as acquiring criminal property.

Ochouba – a former architect graduate – was locked up for 30 months, while toilet attendant Oladapo was sentenced to three years.

Sheriff Paul Crozier said: “You along with others preyed on a number of women.

“They were vulnerable and were only seeking the comfort that a relationship could offer them. Each woman who gave evidence told of their feelings of stupidity, hurt and shame.

“They acted in good faith to an individual who built up their trust and who they thought needed help.”

Motivated “by money and greed”, so-called romance fraud sees loving victims parting with their cash after being manipulated by “sophisticated” tricksters.

The fraudsters claimed they were stuck in Syria with no money.

Victims were tricked into sending cash to the “diplomats” to help bring them home.

They then asked for further payments claiming there were problems with the journey.

Widow Jackie Ballie, 60, met apparent nutritionist McDud on a dating site.

She was told he worked for the WHO and needed money to get back to the UK.

The retired saleswoman sent several payments totalling £7044.

It was claimed McDud would re-pay the cash as he had a large inheritance coming.

But when this individual did not return, Miss

Baillie became suspicious.

They told her McDud was due a £36,000 inheritance which would cover the cost of his flight.

Mrs Ballie got suspicious when McDud didn’t return and she was continually asked for money.

She recalled: “I naively believed everything he said. There were emails, even a story, but he caught me at a very vulnerable state.”

Joyce Clark, 60, told prosecutor Mark Allan she was grieving

Jack after death of her she sent £1300.

She said: “I had just lost him. I cared for him for five years. I was not in the best place at the time.”

Other victims included Melanie Kay, 49, who sent £12,000 intended to send her son to university.

She recalled: “I felt stupid that someone got one over me this way and I get angry that someone could to this to me.”

Grianne McCafferty, 50, was “physically ill” after losing £6000.

Coleen Wallman, 69, handed over £1400, while Hilary Robinson, 48, was left “embarrassed” after being duped.

Stefka Mirkova, 52, sent a tablet and paid for mobile phone top-up cards to the man she was speaking to.

Ochouba’s lawyer said he protested his innocence, while Oladapo’s lawyer told the court his client had been trying to get “into a better life”. father when