The Grindr grifter: Love rat swindles guys he came across on homosexual relationship application

Elie Bumba travelled around brand new Zealand wooing and meeting guys he came across through different apps that are dating. He then took exactly what cash, cards as well as other things he could easily get from their store.

It had been a life style of deception and duplicity that earned the Hamilton 22-year-old about $24,000 in illegal takings and, finally, a stint that is 22-month prison.

But their dates that are unwitting perhaps not the sole victims of Elie Dongala Bumba’s penchant for pinching cash that did not participate in him. Flatmates as well as their grandmother that is own became objectives. As a whole he stole or swindled from 13 individuals or organisations.

Bumba’s tale had been revealed at their sentencing into the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday, where he showed up on a raft of fees including loss that is causing deception, and using a document for pecuniary benefit.

The initial of their times ended up being a person whom he linked to through the app that is dating in June 2016. After investing the evening in the guy’s house, Bumba took two debit cards – one individual, one for the guy’s company – and proceeded a $743 investing spree using them.

But that has been simply the start.

Utilizing a modus that is similar listed here thirty days, Bumba connected by having an Auckland guy and even though at his household took their charge card, that he utilized in order to make 98 acquisitions totalling $4846.

The month that is same discovered another target in Hamilton through Grindr, and took that guy’s charge card from their wallet, which he employed for acquisitions well worth $403.

Early August that year netted A grindr that is fourth date Auckland, from who he took another bank card. This time around the spend-up had been $1269.

That target became conscious of the transactions that are unauthorised ended up being unaware it was their sex partner, as well as the pair proceeded to see one another.

In March 2017 that guy decided to go to the Southern Island even though he was down there Bumba made purchases on a different card in Auckland, and launched reports with Vodafone and 2 Degrees Cellphone, incurring debts in excess of $3000.

He came across and took another Auckland target’s card from a bedside dining table in October 2016. Then month that is following utilized the dating app Hornet to meet up with another target, whom he saw many times throughout the after months.

Bumba swiped US$1100 (about NZ$1645) in money from that guy’s bedside cabinet and got their bank card details. The only purchase was a $20 Vodafone top-up on that occasion.

In very early 2017 still another target ended up being situated. Their bank card details had been disassembled by Bumba and 110 acquisitions of food, phone credit and transportation services totalling $5662 followed – all without utilization of the card that is actual.

In 2018 Bumba used Grindr to find another victim february. Bumba booked space during the Astelia resort in Wellington plus it ended up being here they came across.

Afterwards, while that man had been going for a bath, Bumba photographed their driver’s licence. He later attempted to make use of the facts from that licence to use for subscriptions by having a motor car leasing service and credit cards. They were declined but applications for Vodafone and 2 levels records proved simpler to get. He racked up debts of greater than $3000 on it.

Similar misdeeds occurred immediately after, with Bumba’s flatmate in Auckland and therefore flatmate’s nephew given that victims.

But before Bumba turned to swindling males he fooled their very own grandmother – whom had raised him since he had been eight years of age – by firmly taking her eftpos card and happening a investing spree to your tune of $1784 between August and October in 2015.

His grandmother was at medical center during the right time, and just heard bout just what occurred whenever she got down.

And previous, in February 2015, Bumba and an associate at work obtained a fraudulent loan via GE cash, that has been deposited into their Kiwibank banking account.

The lender picked through to discrepancies within the application for the loan and paperwork and a lot of the funds had been came back to GE cash before Bumba and their buddy had to be able to invest it.

In court, Bumba’s attorney Mark Sturm said their customer was in fact ready to be involved in restorative justice conferences together with his victims together with met with one, where he had gotten “a nice reaction”.

Sturm additionally alluded to terrible activities in Bumba’s past which had assisted to contour their current circumstances, however these are not expanded on in court.

“This defendant has not had it simple in life,” he stated.

As Judge Kim Saunders noted whenever sentencing Bumba, while his back ground may make it possible to explain their behavior, it failed to excuse it.

No target had been available where he could provide a phrase of house or community detention, therefore jail was the only real outcome that is possible.