Hampshire Tinder fraudster jailed after conning woman for £150,000

A "charming" fraudster who conned a millionaire he met on Tinder into handing him almost £150,000 has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Richard Dexter, 38, boasted to his victim, Amrita Sebastian, that he was worth almost £7m, owned private jets, was involved in Hollywood studios and had bought a hot air balloon on a whim.

Dexter, a father-of-two from Southsea in Hampshire, told Sebastian he was on the verge of a big windfall due to investments in biopharmaceutical technology.

He convinced the Middle East-based executive he needed capital for a piece of equipment and duped her into sending him £141,500 in a series of payments, even spinning her lies while she was seriously ill in hospital.

Robert Bryan, prosecuting, told Portsmouth crown court: "He claimed he was a successful businessman. 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 message to Sebastian, Dexter said: "Hey! 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."

Sebastian, who travels to the UK twice a year from Dubai, met Dexter in August 2015 and he persuaded her he needed capital to start production of a piece of scientific equipment called a bioreactor paddle.