A romance swindler who stole half a million from women together with his glamorous daughter who helped him run the scam has been sentenced to jail after he fled the country.
The case was heard in Moscow, Russia, where on 5th August, the Perovsky District Court sentenced Nadir Abulov, 55, in absentia to 11 years in a general regime penal colony for 10 counts of fraud.
Abulov is currently on the run and listed as internationally wanted. He will be taken into custody and imprisoned if caught or extradited.
Diana Dabson and Nadir Abulov pose in undated photo. A marriage swindler who deceived and cheated 10 women out of money has been sentenced in absentia to 11 years in Moscow, Russia. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
The court found that Abulov defrauded at least 10 women out of more than RUB 50 million (GBP 467,000) after luring them in through online dating platforms by posing as a wealthy businessman.
He would act like an old-school gentleman searching for love before introducing them to his daughter, 30-year-old Diana Dabson, who helped present the illusion of a stable, caring family.
After establishing a trusting relationship, the swindler convinced women to give him money under various pretexts - from investing in a joint business to solving temporary financial difficulties.
Picture shows Nadir Abulov's daughter Diana Dabson, undated. She helped her swindler father. Note: Photo from prosecution. (Newsflash/NX)
According to the investigation, the victims not only gave away their savings, but also took out loans, sold their homes and cars, and bought appliances for him on installment plans.
One victim, Tatyana Kotlyarova, met Dabson on a dating website, and they began communicating.
The man told her he had long been divorced, his children were grown, and he still dreamed of being loved and giving love and affection.
She said: "A clever and cunning manipulator. You could write an academic paper on his tricks.
"I gave him RUB 1.5 million [GBP 14,000] and took out a loan for another RUB 650,000 [GBP 6,100]."
Another victim was Svetlana Peresedova, who gave the conman over RUB 11 million (GBP 103,000).
She said: "He won me over by pretending to be a devoted family man, he introduced me to his daughter right away."
The illusion began to unravel when victims connected on social media and discovered he had been dating several women at once. But by then Abulov had already left Russia.
Picture shows Nadir Abulov who deceived women, undated. The Perovsky District Court of Moscow sentenced Nadir Abulov in absentia. Note: Private photo. (Newsflash/NX)
His daughter, who remained in the country, was arrested in December 2022.
Prosecutors said she not only played a role in building trust with the victims but also managed the financial transactions through her registered business to give the appearance of legitimate investment.
She was convicted of especially large-scale fraud and sentenced on 11th December 2024 to seven years in a general regime penal colony.
(Mike Leidig / newsX)