An Aberdeen man has avoided jail after admitting to a string of catfishing frauds that raked in more than £230,000 from victims around the world.
Stephen Deans insists he did not gain financially from his crimes, claiming he was just a “mule” funnelling money to Nigerian and South American bank accounts.
The 64-year-old – who Aberdeen Sheriff Court was told is on the autistic spectrum – was “lonely” and had thought his online chats with the fraudsters were a way of “belonging to something”.
However, Sheriff Ian Wallace dismissed his claims that he didn’t realise what he was doing was wrong, saying he must have been aware of the “nature of the enterprise”.
Fiscal depute Andrew McMann explained that police were alerted after Deans made a number of high-risk foreign transfers.
Deans admitted onwardly transferring £139,893 between April 6 2017 and December 15 2021, and then a further £91,600 between September 1 2019 and July 16 2021 – totalling £231,493.
He was helping out his online friends
Mr McMann explained to the court that when officers arrived at Dean’s Hardgate home, he told them he had been talking to people online and had sent money to “help them”.
He said: “He provided a number of documents relating to financial transactions via MoneyGram, RIA and Western Union to individuals in the Ivory Coast, Guyana and Nigeria.”
The officers tried to give Deans advice about online safety, the court was told, but he became obstructive and told them he “was lonely, enjoyed speaking to them and would class them as friends”.
The court heard that Deans then later discussed the police visit with the online fraudsters, telling them he had “acted dumb” and had not told them anything.
In January 2022, police searched Deans’ flat and seized his laptop and phone.
International money transfers from Dean’s various bank accounts where then found and included money being to sent to him from three different women, one of whom believed she was sending money to an American soldier in Afghanistan.
Mr McMann explained the woman began speaking to the man called Bjorn Siegal in September 2019 and that he had asked her for money to “buy things”.
“When the transaction was blocked, the male provided details of Deans and advised her that she could send cheques to him instead and he would send it on.”
Aberdeen fraudster bragged:’I’m good at what I do’
This continued, and the woman also sent cash and cheques to Deans’ Aberdeen address, including one for £10,000 and another for £20,700.
Deans transferred payments to accounts in the names of ‘Roselle Ivy C Za’ and ‘Ceko Global Services’ – not to anyone named Bjorn Siegal.
Another woman believed she was paying someone called ‘Alldrich Peter’ for a box of jewellery and, in October 2020, sent £1,200 to Deans’ account.
That money was then transferred to an account in the name of ‘Odionyenma Godfrey’ in Nigeria.
Deans’ laptop was scrutinised by the Cyber Crime Team and they found messages about the movement of money and in some he bragged about “being good at what I do”.
In other messages, he discussed plausible reasons for payments and the importance of not drawing attention to himself.
‘He was lonely’
Deans’ solicitor Jenny Logan said her client was not getting any financial gain from the offences.
She said: “It was more likely he was a mule account and not the bigger player.
“He was a go-between in these matters.”
Sheriff Wallace interjected, saying: “I don’t accept that what he said that what he was doing was not wrong.”
Ms Logan explained that Deans has autistic spectrum disorder and has issues with social interactions and understanding.
“He is described as being vulnerable and suggestible,” she said.
“It felt real to him. He felt he wanted to belong to something – it was an outlet – he was lonely.
“This was not an appropriate course of action in any way, shape or form.”
Sentencing
Sheriff Wallace said he didn’t accept that Deans was blameless and warned: “This was a significant offence with significant consequences.
“You were aware of the nature of the enterprise.
“I take into account your diagnosis of being autistic and that you were isolated and vulnerable.
“You did not wilfully carry out these frauds or gain financially.”
Deans was placed under supervision for three years and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work within 18 months as a direct alternative to custody.