A bit different, at least
Conman jailed for dating site scam loses private hire licence
https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/187 ... e-licence/
Image: Glasgow Evening Times
A CONMAN jailed for his part in a £35,000 online dating scam has lost his private hire licence.
Sidney Ochouba, who lived in the Gorbals, was locked up for 30 months after he was found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court in January.
The court heard he had posed as a World Health Organisation (WHO) worker to dupe women on dating site Plenty More Fish.
Police Scotland called on Glasgow’s licensing committee to suspend his current private hire driver’s licence, which was due to run out in May 2022.
Chief Constable Iain Livingstone also requested Mr Ochouba’s car licence was suspended.
A representative for the force said the driver was “no longer a fit and proper person to hold a licence”.
The committee ruled Mr Ochouba’s licences should be suspended for the unexpired portion of their duration.
The Police Scotland representative revealed the private hire driver had “formed a fraudulent scheme to obtain money” between June 2014 and February 2015.
A court heard in January how Mr Ochouba and Busayo Oladapo posed as WHO workers in Syria who had become stranded with no money, tricking seven victims into sending them cash.
The court was told the pair chatted to women on dating site Plenty More Fish, asking the victims to send money to “diplomats” who were helping them return home.
They were also convicted of acquiring criminal property as a result of a fraudulent scheme between June 2014 and February 2015.
Mr Oladapo was sentenced to three years in jail for his role in the scam.
Police Scotland’s representative told the licensing committee the men had received cash “on the pretence of returning the money and failed to do so”.
He added the offences “relate to what is described as romance fraud, receiving funds from females who had been contacted via dating sites”.
“Once trust has been gained, the person using the fake profile will tell the recipient about a problem they are experiencing and ask for help by sending money on the promise the money will be returned to them.
“Once money is sent, they will continue to invent new reasons for more money to be sent.”
