Woman's life ruined by despicable partner who conned her out of more than £20k
23.04.2022 - 17:35
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A 'despicable' boyfriend has been put behind bars after he defrauded his partner of over £20,000.
Ben Millin claimed that he worked in international money markets but needed cash as he was the victim of an identity theft.
He spun a tangled web of lies, took out loans in the woman's name, controlled her access to mail and moved into her house until she could no longer afford the mortgage, Devon Live reports.
He even asked her to pretend that she had a mental illness and admit that a suspicious PayPal account was hers.
By the end of their relationship, the woman was so broke that she had lost her home and was living in her car.
After bleeding her dry of money the truth was finally revealed that Millin had a gambling addiction and had squandered her cash.
The defendant, who was living in Yeovil but has since moved to Exeter, has been jailed for two years at Taunton Crown Court. The judge described his crimes as 'despicable'.
He added: "This was the most appalling and cruel fraud committed over a long period against a woman who was then in love with you. Almost from the outset you lied to bleed her of money telling her a story about identity theft and bank problems."
Prosecutor Mr Harry Ahuja said the pair were in a relationship for two years. Millin told her he worked in the financial sector and travelled to London and Russia but was in difficulties due to an identity theft and could she give him money.
He moved in to her house in 2018 and she handed over about £1,300 a month or £22,500 during the course of the relationship.
She sold some of her possessions and also asked to borrow money from friends and family to pay for him. Between March and May 2019 Millin took out three pay day loans in her name without her knowledge. He had