Charges against alleged romance scammers Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski withdrawn

Charges against a Gold Coast mother-daughter duo who allegedly swindled a trio of lonely men in two states have been withdrawn after mediation with the complainants, a course of action a third defendant is now also seeking.

Charges against a Gold Coast man who allegedly assisted a mother-daughter duo to fleece almost half a million dollars in a romance scam targeting lonely men across Queensland and Western Australia will likely be withdrawn pending mediation, a court has been told.

Mermaid Beach man Murray Iranui Hopa, 54, and Benowa women Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski, 54 and 31 respectively, were all charged in September 2023 with multiple counts of fraud, while the Dimitrijevskis also faced charges of possessing and receiving tainted property.

Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski leaving the Southport Courthouse in October 2023. Picture: Jessica Paul

Mr Hopa was subsequently indicted on a single count of dishonestly obtaining in excess of $100,000 and three counts of money laundering recklessly.

On Thursday, October 9, Mr Hopa had his charges mentioned in the Southport District Court, where the court was told the charges would be subject to adult restorative justice, an out-of-court mediation process between the defendant and complainants which, if successful, would result in the charges being withdrawn.

Detectives investigating the alleged romance scam. Picture: QPS

According to the Queensland Government, for restorative justice to be successful, the charged person needs to “agree to the basic facts of the case... acknowledge they have caused harm and take responsibility for their actions... [and] be willing to find an acceptable way to make amends”.

Cash allegedly swindled as part of the romance scam. Picture: Queensland Police

Mr Hopa’s charges will next be mentioned on January 29 next year, at which point the charges will likely be formally discontinued if the restorative justice process is successful.

Charges against the Dimitrijevskis, which never made it out of the Southport Magistrates Court, were discontinued in August after they participated successfully in restorative justice with the complainants.

One of the ads allegedly placed to lure lonely men in. Picture: Queensland Police

Police previously alleged the trio of defendants placed fake ads via a paid dating service, falsely holding themselves out to be an “affectionate and romantic” 50-year-old widow, and then requiring large payments from the men they lured in.

The alleged scam, in operation from June 2022 and February 2023, netted $486,000 to the trio, police said.

Originally published as Charges against alleged romance scammers Helen and Sophie Dimitrijevski withdrawn