The Grindr grifter: Love rat swindles guys he came across on gay dating application

Jul 31st, 2021 | by

The Grindr grifter: Love rat swindles guys he came across on gay dating application

Elie Bumba travelled around brand new Zealand wooing and conference men he came across through different dating apps. He then took just what cash, cards along with other things he could easily get from their website.

It absolutely was a life style of deception and duplicity that earned the Hamilton 22-year-old about $24,000 in illegal takings and, fundamentally, a stint that is 22-month prison.

But their dates that are unwitting maybe not really the only victims of Elie Dongala Bumba’s penchant for pinching cash that don’t participate in him. Flatmates as well as their grandmother that is own became objectives. As a whole he stole or swindled from 13 individuals or organisations.

Bumba’s tale had been revealed at their sentencing into the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday, where he showed up for a raft of costs including loss that is causing deception, and utilizing a document for pecuniary benefit.

The very first of their times had been a person whom he related to through the dating app Grindr in June 2016. After investing the evening during the man’s house, Bumba took two debit cards – one individual, one when it comes to man’s company – and proceeded a $743 investing spree together with them.

But that has been simply the begin.

Utilizing a comparable modus operandi listed here thirty days, Bumba installed having an Auckland guy even though at their house took their charge card, which he utilized to create 98 acquisitions totalling $4846.

The exact same thirty days he discovered another target in Hamilton through Grindr, and took that guy’s bank card from their wallet, which he employed for acquisitions well worth $403.

Early August that year netted A grindr that is fourth date Auckland, from who he took another charge card. This time around the spend-up ended up being $1269.

That target became conscious of the transactions that are unauthorised ended up being unaware it was their intercourse partner, as well as the set continued to see one another.

In March 2017 that man went along to the Southern Island and even though he was down there Bumba made acquisitions for a card that is different Auckland, and launched records with Vodafone and 2 levels Cellphone, incurring debts in excess of $3000.

He came across and took another Auckland target’s card from the bedside dining table in October 2016. Then your after thirty days he utilized the dating app Hornet to meet up with another target, whom he saw many times throughout the after months.

Bumba swiped US$1100 (about NZ$1645) in money from that guy’s bedside cabinet and got their bank card details. On that event the only real purchase had been a $20 Vodafone top-up.

At the beginning of 2017 still another target had been positioned. Their charge card details had been disassembled by Bumba and 110 acquisitions of meals, phone credit and transportation services totalling $5662 followed – all without utilization of the actual card.

In February 2018 Bumba utilized Grindr to locate another target. Bumba booked space in the Astelia resort in Wellington and it also had been here they came across.

Later, while that guy had been having a bath, Bumba photographed their motorist’s licence. He later attempted to utilize the facts from that licence to try to get subscriptions having a car leasing service and a charge card. They certainly were declined but applications for Vodafone and 2 levels reports proved more straightforward to obtain. He racked up debts greater than $3000 in it.

Comparable misdeeds were held immediately after, with Bumba’s flatmate in Auckland and that flatmate’s nephew since the victims.

But before Bumba turned to swindling males he fooled their very own grandmother – whom had raised him since he was eight years of age – by firmly taking her eftpos card and happening an investing spree into the tune of $1784 between August and October in 2015.

Their grandmother was at medical center during the right time, and just heard bout just what occurred whenever she got down.

And previous, in February 2015, Bumba and an associate at work obtained a loan that is fraudulent GE cash, that was deposited into their Kiwibank banking account.

The lender picked through to discrepancies within the application for the loan and documents and a lot of the funds were gone back to GE cash before Bumba along with his friend had the opportunity to invest it.

In court, Bumba’s attorney Mark Sturm stated their client was indeed happy to be involved in restorative justice meetings along with his victims along with met with one, where he had gotten “a ample reaction”.

Sturm additionally alluded to events that are traumatic Bumba’s past which had assisted to contour their current circumstances, however https://datingmentor.org/erotic-websites/ these are not expanded on in court.

“This defendant hasn’t had it simple in life,” he stated.

As Judge Kim Saunders noted when sentencing Bumba, while his back ground may assist to explain their behavior, it would not excuse it.

No target had been available where he could provide a phrase of house or community detention, therefore jail was the actual only real feasible outcome.