British woman, 84, arrested for fraud in S'pore, alleged victims recognised her from Netflix show

An 84-year-old British woman was arrested in Singapore for her suspected involvement in a series of cheating cases, after her victims found the woman was featured as a scammer in a new Netflix documentary.

The Netflix documentary, Con Mum, detailed how Dionne Marie Hanna allegedly scammed her son, London pastry chef Graham Hornigold, into giving her £300,000 (S$520,000) after re-entering his life 45 years after his birth.

Investment opportunities and inheritance entitlement

The Netflix documentary aired on Mar. 25, 2025, and according to the police, they started receiving several reports from victims allegedly cheated by Hanna since Mar. 28, 2025.

The 84-year-old woman allegedly cheated her victims through purported investment opportunities and inheritance entitlement, according to the police.

The victims were asked to transfer money for legal fees and the opening of overseas bank accounts as part of the arrangement to receive monies for the investment and inheritance.

The victims were allegedly promised they would be reimbursed through Hanna's inheritance.

They believed the investment and release of inheritance to be genuine and made several transfers to the 84-year-old.

The victims only realised they had been cheated after the suspect was featured as a "scammer" in the Netflix documentary.

Officers from Tanglin Police Division established Hanna's identity through follow-up investigations, and she was arrested on Mar. 28, 2025.

Losses amounting to more than S$200,000

According to preliminary investigations, the 84-year-old is believed to be involved in at least five cases of cheating with losses amounting to more than S$200,000.

Hanna was handed five charges on Apr. 5 at the State Courts for fraud by false representation involving three alleged victims, according to court documents seen by The Straits Times.

On the same day, the court ordered Hanna to be remanded for a week upon her discharge from Tan Tock Seng Hospital.

For each charge of fraud by false representation, the 84-year-old may face an imprisonment term of up to 20 years, fined, or both.

Top image via Netflix/YouTube