Liverpool dating fraudster jailed for conning 19 women

A fraudster who used dating websites including Tinder and Plenty of Fish to con 19 women out of a total of £24,000 has been jailed for three years.

Ivan Nkazi, 31, from Liverpool, tricked his victims into believing he had romantic feelings for them before blackmailing them, police said.

Nkazi threatened to throw acid in their faces, to turn up at their workplaces and to harm their families.

He was convicted of 11 counts of fraud and five of malicious communications.

"Nkazi is a cruel human being who manipulated countless women for his own financial gain," said Det Sgt Chris Hawitt.

"He clearly had no respect for those he was speaking to."

Nkazi, of Lee Park Avenue, defrauded his victims from the north-west of England and Scotland by contacting them through dating websites and pretending to be someone else, police have said.

He continued to target women while under investigation by police.

Police have urged anyone using social media and dating websites to "take extra care".

"Remain cautious regardless of how believable the person or their profile claims to be," a spokesman said.