"Godden deliberately targeted men who were seeking companionship and a genuine emotional connection. He abused their trust, manipulated their vulnerabilities and caused significant financial and emotional harm. This was a calculated pattern of offending, not a misunderstanding or a civil dispute, but a clear case of fraud by false representation."
"When the victims challenged Godden about repaying the money, he became hostile, made excuses, or threatened to cut off contact. In some instances, he used emotional blackmail, including threats of self-harm, to maintain control and continue receiving funds."
"Between July 2022 and November 2024, 26-year-old Thomas Godden was found to have tricked three men into thinking they were in romantic relationships with him. He then exploited them to send him money for what they thought were day-to-day costs, travel expenses and more."
Thomas Godden, 26, systematically defrauded three men by posing as a gay man seeking serious relationships on Tinder and Bumble, despite being heterosexual and already in a relationship. He manipulated victims into sending money totaling £28,488 under false pretenses of covering daily expenses and travel costs, promising repayment. When challenged, Godden became hostile, made excuses, threatened to end contact, and used emotional blackmail including self-harm threats to maintain control and continue extracting funds. Investigation by City of London Police revealed his deliberate targeting of vulnerable men seeking companionship and emotional connection. Search history showed Godden researched legal consequences of romance scamming. He pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
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