District Court Uster sentences dating fraudster to 24 months in prison
A young man was convicted after defrauding numerous women of six-figure amounts through online platforms.
District Court Uster sentences dating fraudster to 24 months in prison
A 24-year-old man from Switzerland must serve two years in prison. The District Court Uster handed down the sentence against the logistics worker who had defrauded at least 13 women of approximately 145,000 francs through social contact platforms. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported on the trial.
From late autumn 2021 to summer 2024, the convicted man deliberately sought victims on the internet. He used various applications such as Lovoo, Badoo or Azar, presenting himself with fictitious identities and forged photographs. Sometimes he also approached women directly – at Zurich railway station or in a nightclub.
His approach always followed a similar pattern: he built sham relationships, told dramatic stories – such as about the death of his grandmother – and then asked for financial support. The sums amounted to several thousand francs per victim, in one extreme case even over 40,000. In addition, he obtained intimate images which he later used as leverage. According to the public prosecutor's office, he is said to have threatened to distribute these images or use violence if the defrauded women went to the police.
Two years earlier, the man had a previous conviction for identical offences. Nevertheless, he continued his criminal activities, even during ongoing investigations. In late summer 2024 he was finally taken into custody.
The defence pleaded for 15 months and rejected inpatient therapy. The prosecution sought 18 months plus continuation of measures. The judges went beyond both submissions: they imposed 24 months unconditional imprisonment and a fine of 180 daily rates of 30 francs each and revoked the previous sentence. They rejected admission to a closed clinic and instead ordered outpatient treatment. The convicted man was immediately released from early therapeutic imprisonment since he would have served two-thirds of the sentence shortly anyway.
Source: Google News CH — Crime (de)