There’s a new Tinder swindler in town – but this guy isn’t getting away with his crimes so easily.
Richard Dexter was sentenced to four and a half years for conning a millionairess out of almost £150,000, but now he faces more time behind bars if he doesn’t pay her back.
After the pair met on Tinder in 2015, the 38-year-old from Portsmouth tricked victim Amrita Sebastian into believing he was a successful businessman selling biopharma tech.
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He told numerous lies, claiming to be worth £6.8 million, own private jets and have involvement in Hollywood studios.
Like many of the scammers who have been the focus of recent true crime documentaries, Dexter convinced Sebastian that his money was tied up in investments, when really there was just 37p in an account that didn’t belong to him.
The Dubai-based executive ended up sending him £141,500 of her money over the course of 15 months.
A court heard how he promised she ‘wouldn’t lose anything’ and would pay her £100,000 as interest.
When police caught up with his scheme, Dexter went to trial and admitted seven counts of fraud relating to swindling the cash from Sebastian.
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Two months ago, when he was jailed, the dad-of-two promised he could pay his victim back 'within a day' using £200,000 he said he had in a Bitcoin wallet.
However, a recent hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court was told Dexter hasn't paid back anything, claiming he doesn’t have access to the crypto wallet.
Although he’s also got a doughnut shop – named Sticky Boy – he said it’s struggling.
At one point, Dexter is said to have left the court, with judge Timothy Mousley QC branding him 'disruptive'.
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Moaning about being 'locked in a cell for 23 hours a day', the conman said: "I can't speak to a solicitor, I'm not legally represented and I want to be. I want to understand what's going on.
"I've got nothing more to give. I have nothing more for you to take apart from my [doughnut] shop which probably won't last the month anyway."
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Leaving the dock to exit down to the cells, he added: "I can't be in this room, I'm sorry."
Judge Mousley QC said: "There has been no response from Dexter... to provide the information required.
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"He's quite clearly not engaging with the processes and today has been disruptive.
"It's quite obvious to me that he [said he would] repay the money immediately and he had £200,000 of Bitcoin and from that resource the money would be paid.
"There was evidence given that he had ample assets."
If the money is not paid in 28 days, Dexter will be jailed for a further two years, and the judge ordered for £8,000 in costs to also be paid to the Crown Prosecution Service.
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Speaking previously about the scammer, prosecutor Robert Bryan commented: "He claimed he was a successful businessman selling biopharma technology and he said he was worth £6.8 million and was involved in Hollywood studios.
"He alluded to his immense wealth and private jets, expensive cars, and said he had more by way of interest in his investments than a doctor's salary."
In one text to Sebastian, Dexter said: "Hey! I'm 32, most of my friends did uni and have debts and worries and all earn £40,000 to £60,000.
“I bought a hot air balloon yesterday just because I could."
Judge Mousley QC previously said of him: "I'm left in no doubt that dishonesty is a feature of your character and it is profound.”
Topics: The Tinder Swindler, Tinder, Money, Crime, True Crime
Daisy Phillipson