Serial romance fraudster jailed

He tricked four women

A serial fraudster from Yeovil has been jailed for scamming women out of £40,000.

32-year-old Ben Millin, of Roping Road, used fake stories to trick them, lying about dying relatives and health problems to fund his gambling.

He met one victim on a dating site, posing as a psychologist renovating a farmhouse near Dorchester, and even claimed to be part of the British and Northern Irish Olympic team.

Their relationship grew, and he told her he earned £40,000 a year as a self-employed sales consultant.

He lavished her with attention, promising trips to London and Ibiza, before asking for money.

In reality, Millin stole around £20,000 from this woman alone, spending an average of £5,500 a month on gambling sites and taking out credit cards in the names of his victims.

One woman from Exeter developed PTSD after he disappeared on a supposed holiday, when in fact he was being sentenced for defrauding another victim.

He was released from prison in December 2022 and began contacting his next victim on Instagram within six months. He was first arrested in March 2024 for similar offences.

DC Morgan, the investigating officer, described Ben Millin as "by far the most complex character" she'd ever encountered after 18 years in the force, noting his mastery of manipulation and deceit.

She added that he preyed on his victims' goodwill with a web of lies, showing little remorse as he repeatedly defrauded them to fuel his gambling.'"

Police are warning people to be cautious of online relationships and never send money to someone they haven't met in person.

He's been jailed for nearly three years."