Romance fraudster who conned women out of £204,000 jailed

A Swindon romance fraudster who tricked three women into giving him more than £200,000 has been jailed.

Sajad Hussain, 45, of Winterbourne Road, Haydon End, Swindon, was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment on Thursday (08/06) at Swindon Crown Court after pleading guilty to five counts of fraud.

Over the course of seven years, from 2013 to 2020, Hussain met three women online and tricked them into believing they were in a genuine relationship with him, using fake names and aliases.

He then created a “web of lies” to manipulate the victims’ emotions, and began asking for increasingly substantial amounts of money, as well as a number of pieces of highly sentimental family jewellery.

These lies included needing money to visit his ill father, being behind on his rent and needing cash for damage he had caused to a friend’s car and that he would get beaten up unless he paid.

Hussain was arrested in October 2020 at his home address in Swindon after he was reported to the police by one of his victims.

He was subsequently charged under the Fraud Act 2006 for dishonestly making false representations to the victims in order to gain money for himself.

He pleaded guilty ahead of a trial in April and was jailed on Thursday. He will serve half of his sentence in prison and the rest on licence.

Summing up, Judge Jason Taylor KC said: “You spun a web of lies to ingratiate yourself in these women’s lives to gain their trust, then you pulled every emotional lever you could to gain money from them.

“You were cold-hearted and mercenary, and to you these women were human piggy banks.”

Investigating officer DC Rachael Fairbairn of the Complex Fraud Team said: “This is a particularly cruel crime where Hussain has taken advantage of three women’s kindness and generosity over a number of years.

“He created a false impression of himself as someone who the victims could look to build a future with.

“As well as the financial loss that the victims have suffered, it has been particularly difficult for them both emotionally and psychologically due to the betrayal by someone they thought they could trust.

“In one moment, when one of the victim’s mothers had a stroke, Hussain chose that opportunity to pounce and ratchet up the pressure to get even more money from her.

“I’m pleased that the judge recognised the severity of Hussain’s actions and the impact it’s had on the victims.

“I’d also like to commend the victims on their bravery in reporting Hussain’s actions to us and ensuring he is brought to justice.

“It is important to remember that romance fraud is a crime, and if you ever have any doubts over someone who is repeatedly asking you for money then you can report it to us via 101 and it will be taken seriously.”

The Crown Prosecution Service will now proceed with civil action against Hussain, seeking his available funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act.