These are the words of a woman who fell victim to an organised crime group (OCG) who used false identities to target online dating sites and trick people into sending money.

Today (30 September), five members of that OCG have all been given prison sentences for money laundering and fraud related offences at Guildford Crown Court following a six-week trial earlier this year.

Kwabena Edusei, 37, (DOB: 28/09/1988), from East Finchley, and George Melseaux, 41, (DOB: 18/6/1984), from Hounslow, both pleaded guilty prior to trial.

Edusei pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud in relation to operating at least one of the false identities and was later found guilty of operating a further three false identities during a further hearing.

He also pleaded guilty to money laundering the proceeds of romance fraud, making articles for use in fraud and possession of identification documents for improper use.

He was sentenced to seven years and 10 months in prison.

Melseaux pleaded guilty to money laundering in relation to receiving money directly from romance fraud victims and via other members of the organised crime group.

He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.

A further defendant, Fawaz Ali, 27, (DOB:12/10/1997), from London, was found guilty of one count of money laundering in relation to receiving money from a romance fraud victim and one count of money laundering of hundreds of thousands of pounds from other forms of fraudulent activity following a trial at Guildford Crown Court on 3 April 2025. He was sentenced to four years and 10 months in prison.

Following the same trial, Michael Quartey, 38, (DOB: 22/11/1986), from London, and Ebenezer Tackie, 42, (DOB: 4/11/1982), from Alton, were found guilty of two counts of money laundering each in relation to receiving money directly from romance fraud victims via other members of the organised crime group.

Quartey and Tackie were sentenced to five years and six months and four years and six months respectively.

The wider organised crime group is believed to have used at least seven false identities to defraud a total of 99 victims, with the total loss amounting to £1.8 million.

A total of £2.37 million was laundered by Edusei, Melseaux, Ali, Quartey and Tackie from the proceeds of this romance fraud and other fraud offences.

The romance fraud victims, who were almost all women, entered into what they believed were genuine relationships, which formed similar patterns. The contact began via a dating website, moving to WhatsApp, with occasional video or voice calls, but no meetings in real life.

The relationships developed into declarations of love and commitment at an early stage, but with a business transaction to be completed before any meeting could take place.

The majority of the transactions were conducted in the UK with some overseas victims identified throughout Europe, USA and Australia. The fraudsters used a variety of reasons to trick their victims into sending sometimes very large quantities of money on the understanding that it would be paid back with interest once the lucrative business venture was completed.

Money was also requested for a range of other apparent emergencies, such as the loss of a wallet, or legal bills which had to be paid before the individual could return to the UK.

These were often supported by false documents, passports, legal letters and photographs, with the fraudsters coercing and controlling their victims by exploiting their vulnerabilities.

It later transpired that these women were in contact with false identities being managed by fraudsters, who then used a network of individuals running multiple bank accounts in order to launder the proceeds both of this offending and other forms of criminality.

As enquiries progressed, it became clear that the criminality went beyond the losses of the victims who had reported crimes, with the examination of bank statements and ‘chat data’ from seized mobile telephones revealing links to a wider organised crime group.

It became clear that the defendants were active participants in this crime group, with proof that they were linked to each other provided by banking transfers, receipt of funds, phones/phone chats, victims, or use of the same false persona by the person perpetrating frauds.

Edusei admitted to being responsible for and controlling at least one of the fake identities, which was used to create fake dating profiles across a seven-year period from 2017 to 2024. He was later found guilty of being involved in the operation of three further fake identities during this period.

Communication with others on Ali’s phone revealed he had access to the details of at least 150 bank accounts in other people’s names, a tutorial on how to commit fraud and advice on what to say if challenged by the bank.

During the sentencing hearing, extracts from some of the victims’ statements were read out in court highlighting the distress and utter devastation these offences had on their lives.

One victim stated: “I lost my home as I could not keep up with the cost of rising bills.

“I feel so embarrassed and ashamed that I was scammed so I have not told anyone about this and have lied to my family and friends.

“I am very wary when any man tries to get close to me as I always wonder if he will try and scam me.”

Another victim said: “It’s ruined me as a person, it took years for me to start to trust anyone again.”

“How can people live with themselves after the hurt they create and the long-lasting damage they leave behind?”

Investigating officer Detective Constable Sarah Shaw, from Surrey and Sussex Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This was a very lengthy and complex investigation which involved victims who all fell prey to the manipulation and cruelty of this organised crime group.

“While only 40 victims reported the fraud, most of whom went on to provide statements, our enquiries show that there were at least another 59 who were conned.

“Romance fraudsters gain their victim’s trust and build a relationship with them. They make everything about the romance feel normal, but their aim is to get money or personal information.

“They create a story that sounds believable and start the relationship in a normal way, however, the relationship quickly becomes very intense with the victim being bombarded with declarations of love.

“The fraudsters then invent a problem or situation where they urgently need financial help and manipulate the victim into believing that if they don’t help, there will be dire consequences for the fraudster. They will send the victim faked passports, bank accounts with large balances and photos to support their story. If the victim states they cannot help, then the fraudster uses emotional blackmail until they comply and send the funds through fear of losing the romantic connection.

“They always find an excuse not to meet you in person. Sometimes, the fraudster will say they need money for an urgent medical operation or an ill family member. They may say they need to pay off a debt or that there’s a time critical situation to encourage you to act quickly. It might feel like only you can help them, and you may feel a sense of responsibility to do so.

“No one should ever send money or disclose personal information to someone they meet online.”

“Please remember – if you believe you are a victim of romance fraud – it’s not your fault. But please report it to us or tell a friend or a family member. You can also report anonymously via the Crimestoppers website or by calling 0800 555 111.”

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