Mum sues dating firm ‘for not finding a rich boyfriend’

A DIVORCED mum of three is suing a dating agency for damages after it failed to find her a rich boyfriend.

Tereza Burki, 46, went to Seventy Thirty Ltd in a hunt for “possibly the man of my dreams, the father of my child”, she told a court.

But she claims she was let down by the agency, which she says enticed her with marketing claims about how many “wealthy, eligible, available men” it had on its books.

The management consultant is suing the agency for the £12,600 membership fee she paid and additional damages for “distress, upset, disappointment and frustration”.

The Knightsbridge-based agency, which claims on its website to be the “ultimate network of influential and exceptional single people”, is fighting her claim. Seventy Thirty says it provides an excellent service and is counter-suing for £75,000, claiming libel and malicious falsehood over scathing reviews Miss Burki published online.

The High Court heard Miss Burki, from Chelsea, west London, was looking for a high-earning international jet-setter who was also open to having children with her.

She says she was shown profiles of men she liked and, based on that and the firm’s claims over the number of suitable men it had to offer, she joined in 2014.

But she became unhappy when she was not put in touch with any of the men she liked and whose profiles were shown to her before she paid to join, she claims. Miss Burki told Judge Richard Parkes QC: “You shouldn’t promise people who are in a fragile state of mind, in their mid-40s, the man of their dreams.”

Backing her claim, another former unnamed female member said: “My issue with some of the profiles was they weren’t available.” Representing the firm, barrister Lisa Lacob said from the 9,000-strong database 70 men were identified as suitable for Miss Burki, based on her requirements.

Miss Lacob claimed she was offered six matches, all “plainly successful men in her preferred age bracket who were open to having children”. The judge reserved judgment on the case to a later date.