Woman Jailed for Defrauding Nine Men in Romance Scams

Leonnie Robson, a 35-year-old woman from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was sentenced to two years and nine weeks in prison on March 13, 2026, at Norwich Crown Court for defrauding nine lonely men out of more than 8,000 pounds through online romance scams.

Between March 2024 and May 2025, Robson targeted the men on Facebook dating sites, initiating conversations that she quickly shifted to WhatsApp. She built false rapport by fabricating tragic personal stories to elicit sympathy and extract money. Victims were told she was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, fleeing domestic violence, or coping with her daughter's suicide. She also claimed to have been a fraud victim herself and needed funds for essentials like food, fuel, utilities, birthday gifts for her children, or even small loans starting at 10 or 20 pounds that escalated to larger sums. In one case, she requested money just 14 minutes after first contact. None of the funds, totaling 8,176 pounds, were ever repaid. One man handed over 3,000 pounds, while another emptied his entire bank account. Robson blocked the men whenever they questioned her or sought repayment, making excuses to delay refunds.