Raymond McDonald, a 51-year-old serial romance fraudster from County Durham, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for systematically scamming multiple women through elaborate lies and false promises.
McDonald’s criminal pattern involves targeting women through dating sites, creating intricate backstories about his life, and manipulating them emotionally and financially. Since 2003, he has been in and out of prison, with his fraudulent activities becoming increasingly sophisticated over time.
After being released from prison in December 2023, McDonald quickly resumed his pattern of deception. Within weeks, he was simultaneously dating several women, spinning tales about being a military professional, recently divorced, and working unusual hours. He would convince women to provide him money for supposed luxury items, property, or other fabricated needs.
In one particularly brazen instance, McDonald even staged a fake wedding in the Middle East with one unsuspecting victim, using money scammed from other women to fund the trip. He presented false evidence of their marriage being legally binding.
His victims describe the emotional devastation caused by his actions. As one woman stated, “My whole world fell apart.” Dr. Elisabeth Carter, an expert on romance fraud, notes that the psychological impact on victims is comparable to sexual assault, with only about 15% of victims coming forward due to shame and grief.
McDonald’s lies were extensive and often involved his own family. He falsely told relatives he was dying and even fabricated a story about his mother’s death, claiming she had cancer and staging a fake funeral on Valentine’s Day. In reality, his mother is alive and has suffered two nervous breakdowns because of his actions.
His criminal history includes being dishonorably discharged from the army in 2000, followed by brief work in a supermarket and chicken-packing factory before turning to fraud. He received his first prison sentence in 2003 and has since been repeatedly imprisoned for similar offenses.
Detective Constable Saad Sheban, who arrested McDonald, believes he could have hundreds of victims. Sheban noted that McDonald was in complete denial about his actions, believing he had done nothing wrong – a mindset that made him particularly dangerous.
The women McDonald targeted are now speaking out, hoping to warn others and push for changes in dating site regulations and legal protections. As one victim emphasized, “This crime isn’t just about fraud. This man ruins lives.”
After his latest arrest in March, McDonald initially denied wrongdoing but eventually pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud. At his sentencing, the judge acknowledged that even a life sentence might not adequately address the emotional trauma he inflicted on his victims.
McDonald remains in prison, with his family having cut off contact after years of dealing with the consequences of his persistent lying and criminal behavior.
