SINGAPORE: The whereabouts of an alleged con woman featured in a scam documentary were revealed on Saturday (Apr 5), when she was produced in Singapore's State Courts for fraud charges.
British national Dionne Marie Hanna, 84, was arrested on Mar 28, days after a documentary called Con Mum debuted on streaming platform Netflix. It tells the story of how she allegedly tricked her son, leaving him in debt, after reconnecting with him.
Hanna appeared in the State Courts via videolink. She appeared to be lying on a hospital bed, dressed in a striped shirt. An investigating officer was with Hanna, who was unrepresented.
She was then handed five counts of fraud by false representation. The prosecution applied to have Hanna remanded for a week upon her discharge from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and for permission to have her taken out for investigations into similar offences.
Asked if she understood, Hanna replied "yes" weakly.
Her case will be mentioned again on Apr 11.
Singapore police said that since Mar 28, they have been receiving reports from victims who were allegedly cheated by Hanna through purported investment opportunities and inheritance entitlements.
The victims were asked to transfer money for legal fees and the opening of overseas bank accounts.
Hanna allegedly promised them that they would be reimbursed through her inheritance.
Believing that the opportunities and inheritance were genuine, the alleged victims made several transfers to her.
Hanna is believed to be involved in at least five cases of cheating with losses amounting to more than S$200,000 (US$149,000), preliminary investigations showed.
The alleged victims only realised that they had been cheated after Hanna was featured in Con Mum, which became available on Netflix on Mar 25.
Con Mum follows the experience of a London pastry chef Graham Hornigold, whose life was upended when Hanna, claiming to be his long-lost mother, reappeared to him
Presenting herself as a wealthy daughter of the sultan of Brunei, Hanna then proceeds to con Mr Hornigold and other victims out of more than hundreds of thousands of pounds, according to the documentary. The developments caused Mr Hornigold's split with his partner.
The story is told through interviews with Mr Hornigold, his ex-partner and other alleged victims of Hanna's.
At the end of it, Mr Hornigold is shown to have a video call with Hanna, who claims to be in Malaysia. However, media reports on the film have placed her whereabouts as unknown, as Hanna declined to participate in the documentary.
A DNA test shown at the end of the documentary concludes that Hanna was indeed Mr Hornigold's biological mother.
In Singapore, the police established her identity and arrested her on Mar 28.
If convicted of fraud by false representation, an offender may be jailed for up to 20 years, fined, or both.
Continue reading...
British national Dionne Marie Hanna, 84, was arrested on Mar 28, days after a documentary called Con Mum debuted on streaming platform Netflix. It tells the story of how she allegedly tricked her son, leaving him in debt, after reconnecting with him.
Hanna appeared in the State Courts via videolink. She appeared to be lying on a hospital bed, dressed in a striped shirt. An investigating officer was with Hanna, who was unrepresented.
She was then handed five counts of fraud by false representation. The prosecution applied to have Hanna remanded for a week upon her discharge from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and for permission to have her taken out for investigations into similar offences.
Asked if she understood, Hanna replied "yes" weakly.
Her case will be mentioned again on Apr 11.
Singapore police said that since Mar 28, they have been receiving reports from victims who were allegedly cheated by Hanna through purported investment opportunities and inheritance entitlements.
The victims were asked to transfer money for legal fees and the opening of overseas bank accounts.
Hanna allegedly promised them that they would be reimbursed through her inheritance.
Believing that the opportunities and inheritance were genuine, the alleged victims made several transfers to her.
Hanna is believed to be involved in at least five cases of cheating with losses amounting to more than S$200,000 (US$149,000), preliminary investigations showed.
The alleged victims only realised that they had been cheated after Hanna was featured in Con Mum, which became available on Netflix on Mar 25.
CON MUM DOCUMENTARY
Con Mum follows the experience of a London pastry chef Graham Hornigold, whose life was upended when Hanna, claiming to be his long-lost mother, reappeared to him
Presenting herself as a wealthy daughter of the sultan of Brunei, Hanna then proceeds to con Mr Hornigold and other victims out of more than hundreds of thousands of pounds, according to the documentary. The developments caused Mr Hornigold's split with his partner.
The story is told through interviews with Mr Hornigold, his ex-partner and other alleged victims of Hanna's.
At the end of it, Mr Hornigold is shown to have a video call with Hanna, who claims to be in Malaysia. However, media reports on the film have placed her whereabouts as unknown, as Hanna declined to participate in the documentary.
A DNA test shown at the end of the documentary concludes that Hanna was indeed Mr Hornigold's biological mother.
In Singapore, the police established her identity and arrested her on Mar 28.
If convicted of fraud by false representation, an offender may be jailed for up to 20 years, fined, or both.
Continue reading...