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Woman gets two years in prison for conning Australian suitor

A 35-year-old woman has been sentenced to two years in prison for conning an Australian citizen whom she met online.

The man, 50, arrived in Belarus at the Homyel resident's invitation. She took $4,000 from him, saying that the money was needed to pay a fee to authorities for his registration.

The man's suspicions arose after he had traveled to Mahilyow to visit a hotel where a room had been booked for him and the woman stopped answering his calls. He subsequently contacted the police over the scam.

The woman was arrested shortly afterward. The Australian left home after she gave him back nearly all of his money.

During her trial the woman denied her guilt, insisting that the man had given her the money voluntarily. //BelaPAN