Lover boy Rick McLeod back in County Court on dishonesty charges

A septuagenarian Lothario love rat conned four women he met on a dating app out of $182,200 to fund his alcohol and gambling addiction.

Rick McLeod, 74, who scammed $182,200 from four women he met on dating apps, has gone to jail.

An ageing love rat who conned four women he met on a dating app out of nearly $200,000 to fund his alcohol and gambling addiction has been jailed.

After a protracted legal battle that included an attempt to vacate his guilty pleas, Rick McLeod finally hopped in the dock at County Court on Friday for sentencing.

The 74-year-old earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of obtaining money by deception and another two of obtaining property by deception.

He was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison on all charges, with a minimum parole period of two years and three months.

The Sri Lanka-born former tax officer and entertainer has racked up more than 400 convictions for dishonesty offending, dating back to 1984.

Judge Peter Rozen said McLeod met the women on the dating app Oasis between 2017 and 2019. In the first case, he told the woman he was an investor or financial adviser and claimed to work with high-profile people. He told her he had an investment opportunity whereby she could gain a return on her money. She then sent him a total of $32,000. McLeod met the second woman on the dating app and told her he was a chartered accountant involved with high-end barristers and lawyers.

Rick McLeod, 74, scammed $180,000 from four women he met on dating apps.

After they went out a few times, he offered her a deal to invest money with him for a return with interest.

She transferred a total of $80,000 to him, none of which he invested.

McLeod met his third victim in a Carrum Downs pub in September 2018.

He told her he was a lawyer and was setting up a brothel, and offered to employ her as a receptionist.

He later visited her at her home and said he could get her a discount on her car loan if she gave the money to him.

She then transferred him $15,200, which he did not use to obtain a car loan on her behalf.

McLeod met the fourth woman on the dating app Oasis and told her he would invest money on her behalf.

After being involved in an intimate relationship with her for some time, McLeod began talking about the possibility of marrying her.

Rick McLeod used dating apps to hunt women who he then conned out of money.

He also then began to talk about her financial situation, and she admitted she was both debt-free and had savings and superannuation.

At one point, he sent her a message saying he wanted a “soulmate” and “partner in crime” for his investments.

McLeod convinced her she could trust him to invest her money and she transferred him a total of $55,000.

Judge Rozen said McLeod took advantage of the emotional trap to dishonestly obtain $182,200 from the women for his own needs.

McLeod told a psychologist he used the money to pay for general expenses, as well as to fund his alcohol and gambling addiction.

The judge said McLeod’s offending has had a devastating and enduring impact on all four women- emotionally, socially and financially.

Previous sentences for similar offending have not had an impact on him and the prospects of his rehabilitation were poor, Judge Rozen said.

While he accepted jail may on McLeod’s mental condition, he said the latter’s offending was too serious not to warrant a custodial sentence.