Dionne Marie Hanna, an 84-year-old woman known as the “Con Mum,” has been charged with fraud following her appearance in the Netflix documentary Con Mum. Hanna is accused of scamming several victims, including her son, by falsely claiming she would reimburse them through a royal inheritance from Brunei’s royal family.
Hanna, who resides in Singapore, faces five counts of fraud, involving three people. She appeared in court on April 6 via video link from Tan Tock Seng hospital, though the reason for her hospitalization remains unclear.
According to police, Hanna allegedly duped her victims by claiming they needed to send money for legal fees and to open overseas bank accounts to secure the inheritance. Her claims, including the assertion that she was terminally ill and had royal connections, led her victims to transfer significant amounts to her accounts. The total losses have been estimated at over £115,000.
One of the primary victims of Hanna’s scheme was her son, Graham Hornigold, a prominent London-based pastry chef. In the documentary, Hornigold revealed how he was scammed out of £300,000. Initially believing that Hanna was a wealthy entrepreneur with ties to the Sultan of Brunei, Hornigold grew suspicious after he transferred large sums of money on her instructions.
In addition to defrauding her son, Hanna allegedly promised to donate millions to a mosque and a Muslim charity in Singapore, further gaining the trust of her victims. Following the release of Con Mum, which aired last month, several other victims came forward to file complaints.
Hanna, who is facing up to 20 years in jail and a fine if convicted, will appear in court again on April 11 for a hearing. As the investigation continues, the case has drawn significant attention due to its shocking nature and the widespread impact of Hanna’s fraudulent actions.
