Woman Sentenced for Elaborate Facebook Dating Scam That Preyed on Vulnerable Men
A 35-year-old woman who systematically targeted lonely men on Facebook dating platforms, weaving a complex web of lies to extract thousands of pounds from them, has been handed a prison sentence. Leonnie Robson, a mother of six from Great Yarmouth, exploited the emotional vulnerabilities of her victims over a 16-month period, convincing them to part with a total of £8,176 through manipulative and heart-wrenching falsehoods.
Deceptive Tactics and Emotional Manipulation
Norwich Crown Court heard that Robson contacted nine men through a Facebook dating site, quickly moving conversations to WhatsApp where she began soliciting money. Her tactics were both swift and ruthless; on one occasion, she requested funds just 14 minutes after initial contact. She fabricated elaborate stories to gain sympathy and trust, including claims that she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, fleeing domestic violence, and that her daughter had committed suicide.
Prosecutor Simon Gladwell detailed how Robson duped the men into transferring money to accounts linked to her, only to block them when they started questioning her motives. She requested small amounts initially, such as £10 or £20, before returning with increasingly larger demands. One victim was persuaded to empty his entire bank account, handing over £3,000, while others were mercilessly pursued for every penny they had.
A History of Fraud and Current Offences
Robson, who has 33 previous convictions for 87 offences—including 31 prior frauds—committed these crimes while on licence after serving a second prison term for fraud. In court on March 13, 2026, she admitted to five fraud charges, with two additional similar offences from the previous summer taken into consideration. None of the stolen money has been repaid to the victims.
Judge Alice Robinson condemned Robson's actions, stating that she had been "spinning them lies about your personal life in order to gain their sympathy and trust to persuade them to part with money." The judge emphasized the serious, detrimental impact on the victims, noting that the crimes involved "significant planning" and represented "extremely serious offending."
Sentencing and Public Warning
Robson was sentenced to two years and nine weeks in prison. Judge Robinson used the opportunity to issue a public warning about romance fraud, urging anyone who suspects they or someone close to them has been targeted to contact Action Fraud immediately. "We'd always advise to never send money, share bank details, or invest in crypto based on advice from someone you have only met online, regardless of how convincing their story is," she advised.
The scam was uncovered after the carer of one victim reported concerns about the man sending money to someone he had met online. Robson, formerly of Victoria Road and now of Dickens Road in Great Yarmouth, will serve her sentence as authorities continue to crack down on online fraud schemes that exploit emotional loneliness for financial gain.
