Elie Bumba travelled around brand new Zealand wooing and conference guys he came across through different apps that are dating. He then took just what cash, cards along with other things he might get from their store.

It absolutely was a life style of deception and duplicity that earned the Hamilton 22-year-old about $24,000 in unlawful takings and, fundamentally, a 22-month stint in prison.

But their unwitting times had been perhaps not truly the only victims of Elie Dongala Bumba’s penchant for pinching money that did not fit in with him. Flatmates as well as their grandmother that is own became objectives. As a whole he stole or swindled from 13 individuals or organisations.

Bumba’s tale ended up being revealed at their sentencing into the Hamilton District Court on Tuesday, where he showed up on a raft of fees including causing loss by deception, and employing a document for pecuniary benefit.

The initial of their dates ended up being a guy whom he associated with through the dating app Grindr in June 2016. After investing the evening during the guy’s home, Bumba took two debit cards – one individual, one for the guy’s company – and proceeded a $743 investing spree using them.

But which was simply the begin.

Employing a modus that is similar the next thirty days, Bumba connected by having an Auckland guy and even though at their home took their charge card, that he utilized which will make 98 purchases totalling $4846.

The month that is same discovered another target in Hamilton through Grindr, and took that guy’s charge card from their wallet, which he utilized for acquisitions well worth $403 .

Early August that year netted A grindr that is fourth date Auckland, from who he took another charge card. This time around the spend-up ended up being $1269.

That victim became conscious of the unauthorised transactions but ended up being unaware it was their intercourse partner, additionally the set continued to see one another.

In March 2017 that guy went along to the Southern Island even though he was down there Bumba made acquisitions on a card that is different Auckland, and exposed records with Vodafone and 2 levels Cellphone, incurring debts in excess of $3000.

He came across and stole another Auckland target’s card from the bedside table in 2016 october. Then your month that is following utilized the dating app Hornet to meet up another target, whom he saw many times throughout the after months.

Bumba swiped US$1100 (about NZ$1645) in money from that guy’s bedside cabinet and got their bank card details. On that event the actual only real purchase was a $20 Vodafone top-up.

In very early 2017 still another target had been found. Their charge card details had been disassembled by Bumba and 110 acquisitions of meals, phone credit and transport services totalling $5662 followed – all without utilization of the card that is actual.

In 2018 Bumba used Grindr to find another victim february. Bumba booked space in the Astelia resort in Wellington also it ended up being here they came across.

Later, while a shower was being taken by that man, Bumba photographed their motorist’s licence. He later attempted to utilize the information from that licence to try to get memberships with a motor car leasing service and a charge card. They were declined but applications for Vodafone and 2 levels records proved better to get. He racked up debts of greater than $3000 to them.

Comparable misdeeds occurred right after, with Bumba’s flatmate in Auckland and therefore flatmate’s nephew whilst the victims.

But before Bumba turned to swindling males he scammed their very own grandmother – whom had raised him since he had been eight yrs . old – by firmly taking her eftpos card and happening an investing spree to your tune of $1784 between August and October in 2015.

Their grandmother was at medical center in the right time, and just heard bout just what took place whenever she got away.

And previous, in February 2015, Bumba and an associate at work obtained a fraudulent loan via GE cash, that was deposited into his Kiwibank bank-account.

The lender picked on discrepancies into the loan application and documents and most of the funds had been gone back to GE cash before Bumba and their buddy had to be able to invest it.

In court, Bumba’s attorney Mark Sturm stated their customer was in fact prepared to take part in restorative justice conferences together with his victims and had met with one, where he had gotten “a large reaction”.

Sturm additionally alluded to events that are traumatic Bumba’s past that had aided to contour their current circumstances, however these are not expanded on in court.

“This defendant has not yet had it simple in life,” he stated.

As Judge Kim Saunders noted whenever sentencing Bumba, while their back ground might make it possible to explain his behavior, it would not excuse it.

No target had been available where he could provide a phrase of house or community detention, therefore jail was the actual only real outcome that is possible.