Ben Millin, a 32-year-old man from Yeovil, has been exposed as a master manipulator who exploited the trust of multiple women by weaving a complex web of lies about family tragedies, health crises, and luxury trips to defraud them of nearly £40,000.
Millin’s deceit spanned fabrications about illnesses, the deaths of loved ones, violent assaults, fraud, and even faking his own death — all tactics aimed at extracting money from those in romantic relationships with him.
According to Avon and Somerset Police, Millin victimized four women, stealing between £30,000 and £40,000 in total. His manipulation began early in relationships, inventing emotional stories to gain sympathy and financial support. For instance, shortly after meeting Fiona in July 2021, he spun tales about family betrayals and financial troubles caused by a former partner, repeatedly borrowing money for bills and travel while promising repayment.
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In 2022, Millin’s lies culminated when he promised Fiona a holiday in Spain, which he canceled with a fabricated heart condition preventing him from flying. Instead, he misled her into thinking he was attending a job interview in Bristol, only to be jailed for fraud related to a prior conviction. Fiona only uncovered the truth when she saw his sentencing in the news, realizing she was yet another victim.
Six months after his December 2022 release from prison, Millin connected with Charlotte on Instagram, falsely claiming a high-income sales job. Over seven months, he lied about financial hardships, promised a holiday to Costa Rica funded by a supposed £30,000 lottery win, and manipulated Charlotte into lending him nearly £20,000 — much of it inherited from her late father. When Charlotte sought repayment, Millin feigned health crises to gain sympathy, while spending thousands monthly on online gambling. He also fraudulently opened credit cards in Charlotte’s and their landlady Sophie’s names, causing lasting distress.
Just weeks before his March 2024 arrest, Millin started dating Chloe, whom he met on a dating site. He deceitfully claimed to be an Olympic psychologist and boasted about renovating a farmhouse. Over three months, he fabricated trips and stage-managed emotional phone calls involving nonexistent family crises to deepen control and extract support.
The victims’ impact statements paint a harrowing picture of Millin’s psychological manipulation. Fiona described him as a predator who exploited vulnerabilities, weaving elaborate falsehoods about deceased siblings, cancer, and mental health crises—all while invading every aspect of her life and finances. Charlotte recounted how Millin used intimate details about her family and past to emotionally abuse and isolate her, leaving her financially ruined and scarred. Chloe expressed the profound erosion of trust caused by Millin’s lies, which compounded her grief after her husband’s terminal illness.
Detective Constable Claire Morgan praised the women’s courage in coming forward, calling Millin the most complex manipulator she has encountered in 18 years of investigations. She hopes their testimonies encourage others affected by romance fraud to seek help and report abuse. Millin’s story serves as a cautionary tale about the devastating consequences of emotional exploitation and financial deceit.