Dating fraudster snares more victims with smartphone from prison cell

An online dating fraudster jailed for conning women out of thousands of pounds used a contraband smartphone to snare three more victims from his prison cell.

Amir Tofangsazan, 32, was jailed for seven years and nine months in 2015 after being convicted of 15 counts of fraud.

But he got hold of a phone while on day release from HMP Ford, in West Sussex, and used dating apps to con three more ‘vulnerable and lonely’ victims into handing him money.

One victim lost up to £4,000 after he contacted her on Tinder claiming to be a respected international trauma surgeon.

He told her he had worked in hospitals across the world and had a portfolio of properties and a fleet of expensive cars.

But Tofangsazan told her he was having cash flow problems and needed money to renew his medical registration.

The victim agreed to hand over money and then made repeated payments to him which he then gambled away on an online betting account.

Tofangsazan was lambasted by a judge who branded him a ‘committed fraudster’ preying on women looking for romance.

Sentencing him to three years in prison Judge Christine Laing QC said: ‘It is clear you are a committed fraudster preying on lonely, vulnerable women seeking a romantic partner.

‘You gained their trust with utterly false tales of being a doctor, of being a trauma doctor in high demand because of your skills.

‘You are nothing but a fraudster. Your only real skill lies in telling lies and creating false stories and tales to bolster those lies.’

She said that although he was a ‘serving prisoner’ at the time he was still able to commit the offences while incarcerated.

A Prison Service spokesperson said: ‘Mobile phones have no place in our prisons and, as in this case, those found to have used them can expect to spend additional time behind bars.’

Earlier Edward Hand, prosecuting, said using an alias of Dr Jason Fleming, Tofangsazan contacted one woman through the dating app, Tinder.

Amir Tofangsazan (pictured) got hold of a phone while on day release at HMP Ford, in West Sussex, and used dating apps to con three more ‘vulnerable and lonely’ victims into handing him money

Mr Hand said: ‘He said he was a surgeon working in London. He made boasts about his properties abroad and vehicles he owned. But he complained he was having problems with his bank accessing wages and accounts and it was causing him problems with his medical employers and registration.’

He said the victim transferred money to him using an online account and the relationship developed further and became physical and sexual when he was released on licence.

Eventually the woman became suspicious and when police, alerted by a former victim, contacted her she released she had been duped.

The court heard Tofangsazan had a history of ‘romance frauds’ and had committed more than 40 offences.

He pleaded guilty to the three most recent offences when he appeared at crown court last November.

The fraudster had been previously jailed after he created several profiles claiming to be a doctor or a barrister to con women out of thousands of pounds.

One victim was so convinced that their relationship was genuine and long-term she handed over almost £15,000 to Tofangsazan.

DC Chris Church from the Met’s Organised Crime Command, said: ‘Tofangsazan has a history of this type of offending, and he committed these most recent frauds whilst on day release from prison.

‘He has again shown his arrogance, callousness, and his propensity to deceive and exploit women for financial gain.

‘These frauds have had an emotional and financial impact on the victims, and I hope today’s result allows them to put their ordeal behind them.’