Maxwell Rusey, formerly of Nuneaton, Warwickshire, has been sentenced to five years in prison for a romance fraud that swindled a Medway woman out of more than £120,000. Rusey was sentenced at Woolwich Crown Court on September 23.
In May 2023, the victim reported to police that she had transferred a substantial amount of money to a man she met online, suspecting she had been defrauded. The woman had joined a website to meet new people when she was contacted by a man who claimed to be an army officer involved in “covert operations” in Mali. After exchanging messages, he expressed his desire to live with her upon his return to the UK.
Rusey’s deception escalated when he told her he needed help importing a consignment of gold and asked her to assist his friend with the relevant duties and taxes. Trusting him, the woman completed 16 transactions in 2022 and 2023, totaling £128,500 into accounts that Rusey claimed belonged to his associate.
Detectives from Kent Police traced the accounts back to Rusey, who was arrested in March 2024. He was charged with fraud and money laundering after a fake passport used to set up one of the accounts was discovered in his possession. The 53-year-old ultimately pleaded guilty to money laundering and possession of items for fraudulent use.
Detective Constable Mark Newman remarked, “Romance fraud is a particularly cruel offence that causes serious emotional harm for victims, along with significant financial repercussions. Many victims find it difficult to report such crimes due to the level of deception involved. I commend the victim in this case for coming forward and supporting this prosecution.”