Ben Millin, a 32-year-old man from Yeovil, Somerset, has been jailed for 34 months after defrauding four women out of nearly £40,000 to support his online gambling addiction. Millin used elaborate lies involving dying relatives, frozen bank accounts, job interviews, and serious health issues to deceive his victims.
Millin admitted to four counts of fraud by false representation in June 2025. Along with his prison sentence, he received a five-year serious crime prevention order and restraining orders barring him from contacting his victims.
His scams included exploiting women’s sympathy and trust, including one victim, Fiona, who was deceived into believing Millin was struggling financially due to family tragedies and disputes with an ex-partner. He repeatedly asked Fiona for help with bills and travel expenses, promising repayment that never came.
In April 2022, Millin promised Fiona a holiday to Spain, which he later canceled due to a claimed heart condition, switching the trip to London. Unbeknownst to Fiona, Millin was jailed that same day for defrauding another woman.
After his release in December 2022, Millin quickly targeted another victim, Charlotte, whom he conned out of £20,000 — including inheritance money from her late father. Millin claimed to earn £40,000 annually as a sales consultant and falsely promised romantic trips while fueling his £5,000-a-month gambling habit. He also took out credit cards in Charlotte’s name.
Their landlady, Sophie, who lived with Millin and Charlotte, also lost money after trusting him. Sophie described her home as a painful reminder of the stress caused by Millin’s deceit.
Shortly after his March 2024 arrest, Millin began targeting a fourth victim, Chloe, from Bournemouth. Posing as a Team GB sports psychologist and farmhouse owner, he fabricated stories of lavish trips to London, Ibiza, and Lille.
During sentencing at Taunton Crown Court, the victims described the profound trauma and mental health struggles caused by Millin’s manipulations. Fiona has been diagnosed with PTSD and continues therapy, calling Millin a “predator” who exploited vulnerable women. Charlotte shared how Millin weaponized her personal struggles and stole deeply meaningful inheritance money, leaving her unable to trust or pursue future relationships. Chloe recounted Millin’s emotional exploitation and lies about fictitious family tragedies.
Detective Constable Claire Morgan praised the victims for their courage, describing Millin as a “master of manipulation” who repeatedly abused the goodwill of women to fund his gambling with little remorse.
The police hope this conviction encourages other victims of romance fraud to come forward and seek justice.
