LONDON (AP) — Two men have been sentenced to prison after using the dating app Grindr to deceive victims into letting them into their homes, where they stole mobile phones and carried out fraud, authorities said.
Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 23, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 27, created fake profiles on the app and arranged meetings with men at residential addresses across London. Once inside, the pair persuaded victims to unlock their phones, often claiming they wanted to play music.
After gaining access to the devices, the men left the properties and used the phones to make contactless payments, online purchases and bank transfers, prosecutors said.
Mohammadi was convicted of 10 counts of burglary, nine counts of fraud by false representation and one count of theft. His offenses took place between October 2024 and March 2025. He was sentenced to five years in prison.
Hotak was found guilty of five counts of burglary, five counts of fraud and one count of theft related to incidents between October and December 2024. He was sentenced to three years and six months in prison.
Sentencing the men at Isleworth Crown Court, Judge Adenike Balogun said the crimes caused serious emotional distress, noting that victims felt violated after inviting the offenders into their homes.
The judge said the men targeted victims they believed were vulnerable due to the nature of dating app meetups but ruled the offenses were opportunistic rather than motivated by hostility toward sexual orientation.
Prosecutors said the defendants often used profiles with limited or misleading information and employed distraction tactics, such as asking victims to leave the room, while phones were left unlocked and unattended.
Police warned dating app users to remain cautious when meeting strangers and to protect personal devices and financial information at all times.
