The Grindr grifter: Love rat swindles guys he found on homosexual dating program
Elie Bumba travelled around unique Zealand wooing and meeting men he came across through different applications that are dating. Then he took just what earnings, cards and also other items he may bring off their websites.
It had been a lifestyle of deception and duplicity that earned the Hamilton 22-year-old about $24,000 in unlawful takings and, eventually, a 22-month stint in prison.
However their dates which are unwitting not the only real victims of Elie Dongala Bumba’s penchant for pinching funds that performedn’t take part in your. Flatmates in addition to their grandmother that’s very own became goals. As a whole he swindled or grabbed from 13 people or organisations.
Bumba’s facts was uncovered at their unique sentencing whenever you look at the Hamilton region courtroom on Tuesday, where he showed up for a raft of bills like reduction definitely triggering deception, and utilizing a data for pecuniary perks.
The first of the dates was individuals whom he connected to through software this is certainly internet dating in June 2016. After spending the night through the guy’s household, Bumba grabbed two debit notes – one individual, one for your guy’s providers – and proceeded a $743 investment spree with all of them.
But that’s been this is the start.
Using a comparable modus operandi listed here period, Bumba connected insurance firms an Auckland man and though at their house grabbed her bank card, which he used to help make 98 purchases totalling $4846.
The very same thirty days the guy found another target in Hamilton through Grindr, and took that guy’s charge card from their budget, which he utilized for purchases worth $403.
Very early August that season netted A grindr which next date Auckland, from exactly who he got another bank card. These times the spend-up had been $1269.
That target turned into mindful of the unauthorised savings but ended up being uninformed it was their sexual intercourse lover, because set proceeded to see the other person.
In March 2017 that chap gone along towards Southern area and although he was down indeed there Bumba generated acquisitions on a card that will be different Auckland, and exposed documents with Vodafone and 2 amount cellular phone, taking on debts more than $3000.
The guy encountered and grabbed another Auckland victim’s cards from bedside dining table in 2016 oct. companion ladies in Indianapolis IN perhaps thirty days this is certainly soon after used the matchmaking application Hornet to meet another target, who the guy saw often times in the after period.
Bumba swiped US$1100 (about NZ$1645) in funds from that guy’s bedside pantry and have their own bank card info. Really the only purchase got a $20 Vodafone top-up thereon event.
Through the very early 2017 yet another target ended up being receive. Their particular charge card facts was in fact disassembled by Bumba and 110 acquisitions of ingredients, telephone credit and transfer service totalling $5662 accompanied – all without usage of the credit this is certainly actual.
In 2021 Bumba used Grindr locate another victim february. Bumba lined up an offered space throughout Astelia vacation resort in Wellington plus it was here they discovered.
Afterwards, while that guy ended up being opting for a bathtub, Bumba snap their particular motorist’s license 
. The guy later experimented with utilize information from that license eighteen subscriptions insurance firms a motor car rental services and a credit card. We had been keeping dropped but software for Vodafone and 2 level documents showed safer to see. He racked right up bills more than $3000 about it.
Comparable mistakes had been used after, with Bumba’s flatmate in Auckland and so flatmate’s nephew after the subjects.
But before Bumba looked to swindling men he misled their grandmother definitely own got elevated him since he previously already been eight years – by firmly taking the woman eftpos card and occurring a investing spree towards melody of $1784 between August and Oct in 2015.
Their particular grandmother was in clinic within the correct time, and just read bout exactly what were held whenever she got lower.
And earlier, in February 2015, Bumba and an associate at work working received that loan that is deceptive GE finances, that was deposited into their Kiwibank checking account.
The lender chose right through to discrepancies within the loan application and records and the majority of regarding the funds had been missing back to GE finances before Bumba and his awesome friend had to be in a position to invest they.
In legal, Bumba’s attorneys Mark Sturm stated their particular customer was certainly ready to be engaged in restorative justice seminars along with his sufferers along with found with one, where he previously received “a close reaction”.
Sturm moreover alluded to events that are distressing Bumba’s past which in fact had helped to contour their latest circumstances, however these aren’t widened in legal.
“This defendant hasn’t but have it easy in life,” he mentioned.
As Judge Kim Saunders noted each time sentencing Bumba, while their deatailed might help clarify her attitude, they did not excuse it.
No target ended up being readily available in which the guy could provide a phrase of quarters or area detention, so jail got the sole end result which possible.