TL;DR: The Pembrokeshire Herald reported on March 12, 2026 that Rodney Roberts, 40, of Cardiff, who used the alias “Paul Smith”, was jailed for five years and one month at Newport Crown Court for conning three women out of £49,580 between 2021 and 2024. He posed as a California attorney turned intelligence agent, and as a BBC producer. A victim found two older news reports on his alias.
What happened
The Pembrokeshire Herald reports that Rodney Roberts, 40, of Trowbridge, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and was sentenced at Newport Crown Court to five years and one month in prison. The Proactive Economic Crime Team at the Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit investigated with South Wales Police. Three women lost a combined £49,580 between 2021 and 2024; the report does not give individual amounts.
Three victims, three stories
- Victim one (contact in February 2021): he said he was an American from California working in the UK as an attorney and financier, later claiming this was a cover and he was an intelligence agent with no control of his finances. He persuaded her to invest in a fictitious company and to sell her home to invest more, and had her open a bank account for his use. Without her knowledge he also opened a cryptocurrency account in her name.
- Victim two (October 2022): he encouraged her into an opportunity promising high returns and showed fabricated screenshots of growth, then gave excuses for not repaying.
- Victim three (March 2024): he claimed to be an American television producer working for the BBC on a two-year visa, struggling to access his US bank accounts, and asked for money towards a flat deposit.
How he was caught
The third victim became suspicious, searched online and found two historic news reports about earlier frauds by Roberts under the alias Paul Smith. She contacted South Wales Police. A simple search of a partner's name and photos can reveal what a dating profile hides; our guides on reverse image search and verifying who you are talking to show how.
DC Amanda Davies of Tarian ROCU urged people to watch for requests for money, reluctance to meet in person or by video call, pressure to keep a relationship secret and “love bombing”.
Red flags
- A professional who is secretly “an agent”, “a producer” or “on a visa” and cannot access his money.
- Pressure to invest in a company with “growth” screenshots only.
- Asking you to open bank or crypto accounts for them.
- Persuading you to sell your home.
Report to Report Fraud and read how to report a scam in the UK and romance scam recovery steps. Run our free digital footprint check to see what is exposed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the women lose?
A combined £49,580 between 2021 and 2024.
What was the sentence?
Five years and one month at Newport Crown Court.
What alias did he use?
“Paul Smith”, according to the report.
How did one victim catch him?
She searched online and found two historic news reports about earlier frauds under the same alias.
Sources
- The Pembrokeshire Herald: Man jailed for romance fraud after conning three women out of nearly £50,000 (Mar 12, 2026)
- Report Fraud (UK national fraud reporting service)