A romance fraudster, Cieran McNamara, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for scamming four wealthy women across the UK. Operating under various names, including Ciaran Griffin, Christian McNamara and Myles McNamara, the 37-year-old from Coventry posed as a successful businessman to exploit his victims emotionally. As per Cheshire Police, McNamara betrayed his victims by creating false relationships and intimidated them into sending large sums of money. His manipulative tactics targeted individuals in Cheshire, Warwickshire and Hertfordshire, using both online platforms and expensive hotels or clubs for initial contact. Pleading guilty to four charges of fraud by false representation, McNamara tricked those women from September 2022 till September 2023, leaving victims defrauded of £302,054.26 (approximately Rs 3 crore).
The fraudster used a variety of tactics to create an illusion that he’s wealthy, including showing images of mansions in London and Cheshire, first class travel photos and showered his victims with gifts and grand experiences. However, his scam was exposed when one of his victims in Cheshire became suspicious and reported the matter to the police. Following an investigation by the local police, the culprit was arrested on September 28.
Meanwhile, Detective Constable Victoria Hazlewood, who led the investigation, said, “During our investigation, we uncovered a web of lies with thousands of text messages which he sent to his victims in order to extort cash to fund his lavish lifestyle. He convinced his victims that he was a millionaire with properties across the country, but in reality, he was unemployed and living out of a suitcase. McNamara identified ways he could control and manipulate his victims and throughout the investigation, he has shown no remorse for his actions.”
The detective further praised the victims’ courage and bravery, along with the efforts of the Economic Crime Unit at Cheshire Constabulary, which led to the offender admitting his guilt. While McNamara is now in prison, the detective believes there might be other victims across the country who have faced similar treatment and encourages them to come forward.
During a raid of a storage unit linked to Cieran McNamara, authorities discovered approximately £19,500 (approximately Rs 20 lakh) worth of new items, including luxury goods like a £1,900 (approximately Rs 2 lakh) Burberry Coat, a £400 (approximately Rs 41,000) Burberry Scarf, Dubarry boots, Gucci trainers and a Ping golf set. Additional investigations are currently underway to locate more assets belonging to the man. The court hearings revealed that McNamara had pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation. The judge expressed concerns about the culprit being a risk in the future, as he showed lack of sympathy for the victims.
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