Cruel romance fraudsters who conned vulnerable Glasgow women of £35k caged

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.

Sidney Ochouba and Oladapo Busayo

READ MORE: ‘Horrible’ romance fraudsters preying on Glasgow's emotionally vulnerable

Ochouba, of the city's Gorbals, and Oladapo, of Govan, were today 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 Jack 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 £7,044.

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.

READ MORE: Glasgow conmen who preyed on vulnerable women convicted for fraud operation

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

She recalled: “No one could change what I had with my husband but that’s why I went on the site as I didn’t want to lead a lonely life.

“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 after death of her father when she sent £1,300.

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 £6,000.

Coleen Wallman, 69, handed over £1,400 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.

She said: “I phoned the WHO and they had never heard of them and that’s what made me suspicious.”

Ochouba's lawyer David Fisken said he continued to protest his innocence.

Mr Fisken added: "There is no evidence he profited from the scheme."

Judith Hutchison, defending Oladapo, told the court he had been trying to get "into a better life".

Commenting after the conviction last month, Detective Chief Inspector Jim Robertson of the Economic, Crime and Financial Investigations team, told the Glasgow Times he believes there is a fear among victims to come forward after being emotionally duped.

He revealed that in this case, there were initially 36 people who came forward having been potential victims - with only six eventually giving evidence in court.

He said: "They want to get your money and take as much of it as they possibly can, whether that’s linked to romance or praying on some form of vulnerability or need at the time and that type of person is a horrible person.”