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A ruthless scam artist who used money obtained through deceit to cover the costs of his horse’s care has received a warning from a judge that he might face imprisonment.

Adam Mowle, 34 – the one whoseFacebookThe page includes multiple images of him riding and jumping – he is presented as a woman named Jenna Smith on a dating application.

“Jenna” was reached out to by a man who was certain he was starting a relationship that would last for a long time with his ideal partner.

Greedy Mowle lured him in and convinced him to transfer £9,165, claiming that ‘Jenna’ required the money because of a family illness and financial troubles.

After the man finally understood he had been deceived, he began gambling in a last-ditch effort to recover his losses, ultimately losing an additional £93,000.

Mowle, from Harwich, Essex, confessed to obtaining illegal property through deception when he appeared at Ipswich Crown Court earlier this week.

The defendant’s sentencing was postponed until March 18 by District Judge Matthew Bone, who cautioned him that incarceration remained a possibility under consideration.

The judge observed that there were several deposits from different sources into Mowle’s bank account, including some that mentioned ‘Jenna’.

This implied that Mowle had deceived other men into sending money to his fake online identity, but none of the other potential victims wished to file an official complaint regarding their deception.

Lee Nunn, a senior official with Suffolk Trading Standards, disclosed that the questionable amounts received by Mowle totaled a ‘five-figure’ amount in total.

The court was informed on Tuesday that Mowle had used the money from his crime to fund his horse and everyday expenses.

His victim, who wished to remain anonymous, stated: “In January 2019, I connected with a woman named Jenna Leigh Smith on a dating application, and as our relationship progressed, I truly believed this was the beginning of a lasting partnership.”

I experienced sincere sadness regarding the challenges Jenna shared with me, which involved her father’s cancer and her own significant health problems.

Jenna mentioned to me that she was having financial difficulties. I was sure I could offer her some money to help her out temporarily and she would repay me.

It wasn’t until I began to think Jenna was being dishonest that I understood I had transferred £9,135 into an account I believed belonged to her.

The effect that my relationship with Jenna and the loss of almost £10,000 has had on my life is considerable and has severely affected my mental well-being.

I felt compelled to take risks in an attempt to recover some of what I had lost. This has resulted in me losing £93,000 in efforts to retrieve the funds I had deposited into Mowle’s bank account, leading to a severe depressive state and requiring assistance through medication and therapy.

The circumstances were so dire that I genuinely contemplated ending my life.

This offense has taken away any opportunity for a relationship because of my inability to trust, and it resulted in worsening depression. This then led to gambling, which has damaged my life and future even more.

Mr. Nunn honored the victim for speaking out, stating that the prosecution was only feasible because of his ‘bravery and persistence’.

Mowle leveraged his “detailed understanding of the victim’s local area to gain trust” and demonstrated “total indifference to his emotional and financial welfare,” he stated.

Graham Crisp, head of Suffolk Trading Standards, stated following the hearing: ‘Mowle has consistently demonstrated a lack of concern for his victim.’

Councillor Steve Wiles, who serves as the cabinet member for public health and public protection at Suffolk County Council, stated: ‘Romance fraud is a heartless crime that leads to significant financial and emotional damage for those affected.’

I would advise anyone in an online relationship to be cautious about any money requests from someone you haven’t met face-to-face.

Consult with loved ones for guidance. Pause and consider – is this individual truly who they claim to be?

A 2024 study conducted by Barclaysthere were reports of an increase in romance scams by 139 percent from March to April and then from May to June that year.

Most men alerted the bank about romance scams, whereas women usually suffered the highest financial losses.

On average, female victims surrendered £8,900, whereas men provided approximately £3,500.

Kirsty Adams, a specialist in fraud and deception at Barclays, stated at that time: ‘It might be unexpected to find that men are more frequently targeted by romance scams, as stereotypes have often wrongly suggested women are more vulnerable.’

This is supported by our further research, indicating that men tend to be more open than women to sending money to individuals they have recently begun dating, even if they haven’t met in person yet.

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