A 'charming' Tinder swindler who conned a millionairess out of almost £150,000 claims he hasn't paid her her back yet because he can't access his Bitcoin fortune. Richard Dexter was jailed for four and a half years after he tricked victim Amrita Sebastian into believing he was a 'successful businessman', having met her on dating app Tinder.
The suave conman boasted of being worth £6.8 million, having 'private jets', being 'involved in Hollywood studios', and buying a hot air balloon 'just because he could'. Duping her into sending him £141,500, Dexter claimed he had £4.2 million tied up in investments - but in reality there was just 37p in the account which wasn't even his.
Two months ago, when he was jailed, the 38 year old from Portsmouth, Hants, insisted he could pay Dubai-based executive Miss Sebastian back 'within a day' as he has '£200,000' in a Bitcoin wallet. But a hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court, Hants, was told Dexter hasn't paid back anything and has 'not been engaging' with the process.
Dexter claimed he has 'no access' to the apparent Bitcoin wallet and insisted 'I've got nothing more to give' unless the court wanted to seize a doughnut shop he set up. "I have no access to it... I've got no access to any of my information or devices", he told the court, adding that Bitcoin 'fluctuates on a minute by minute basis' when asked about the wallet's total amount.
The 'well-educated and well-dressed' conman at one stage stropped and refused to enter the court, with judge Timothy Mousley QC branding him 'disruptive'. Dexter, who moaned about being 'locked in a cell for 23 hours a day', said his struggling: "I can't speak to a solicitor, I'm not legally represented and I want to be. I want to understand what's going on.
"I've got nothing more to give. I have nothing more for you to take apart from my [doughnut] shop which probably won't last the month anyway." Leaving the dock to exit down to the cells, he said: "I can't be in this room, I'm sorry."
In Dexter's absence, Judge Mousley QC ordered the £141,000 to be confiscated within 28 days, suggesting Dexter use his Bitcoin to pay. Judge Mousley QC said: "There has been no response from Dexter... to provide the information required.
"He's quite clearly not engaging with the processes and today has been disruptive. "It's quite obvious to me that he [said he would] repay the money immediately and he had £200,000 of Bitcoin and from that resource the money would be paid.
"There was evidence given that he had ample assets." If the money is not paid in 28 days, Dexter will be jailed for a further two years.
£8,000 in costs must also be paid to the Crown Prosecution Service, Judge Mousley QC ordered. Dexter said his doughnut shop, named Sticky Boy, is struggling and is now in the name of his partner, 37 year old Hayley Jones.
Previously it was heard father of two Dexter met Indian Miss Sebastian on Tinder in 2015 and posed as a businessman selling biopharma tech. He claimed international companies 3M and Pall Corp were interested in tech equipment he had the patents for and willing to sign on deals worth up to £12 million.
He told Miss Sebastian 'she wouldn't lose anything' and that he would pay her £100,000 as interest. Over the course of 15 months, she made a series of payments, some as large as £68,000.
Prosecutor Robert Bryan said: "He claimed he was a successful businessman selling biopharma technology and he said he was worth £6.8 million and was involved in Hollywood studios. He alluded to his immense wealth and private jets, expensive cars, and said he had more by way of interest in his investments than a doctor's salary."
In one text to Miss Sebastian, Dexter said: "Hey! I'm 32, most of my friends did uni and have debts and worries and all earn £40,000 to £60,000. I bought a hot air balloon yesterday just because I could." Judge Mousley QC previously said of him: "I'm left in no doubt that dishonesty is a feature of your character and it is profound.
"You are someone who shows no hesitation in resorting to lies with an ease that is almost breathtaking. When your truthfulness is challenged you reach for more lies to cover your tracks.
"There was absolutely no sign of you apologising to [Miss Sebastian] and there's little sign of any remorse." He admitted seven counts of fraud relating to swindling £141,500 from Miss Sebastian.
