Two men have been jailed after using the dating app Grindr to trick victims into letting them into their homes across London, where they carried out a calculated series of burglaries and frauds that left victims traumatised and financially harmed.

Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 23, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 27, arranged meetings with men at their London properties through Grindr, posing as potential dates. Once inside, they persuaded victims to unlock their phones by asking to play music on YouTube.

The phones were then stolen while music continued to play, preventing the devices from being locked. The men would leave swiftly and begin making online purchases, contactless payments, and, in some cases, transferring money to themselves.

Timeline of offending

Mohammadi carried out offences against 11 victims during a five-month crime spree between October 24, 2024 and March 24 this year. Hotak offended multiple times between October 24, 2024 and December 23, 2024.

Their crimes took place across various parts of London, often after late-night meet-ups arranged through the app.

At Isleworth Crown Court on Monday, Mohammadi was sentenced to five years in prison. Hotak received a sentence of three and a half years.

Passing sentence, Judge Adenike Balogun said she had taken account of the “psychological trauma” suffered by the victims, adding that they had experienced deep distress after allowing the men into their private spaces only to be violated.

Were crimes hate-related?

Prosecutor David Patience argued that the victims were targeted because of their sexuality and that the offences could effectively be viewed as hate crimes.

Judge Balogun said she considered this carefully, concluding that the victims’ presumed sexual orientation made them vulnerable and provided the offenders with an opportunity. However, she ruled that the men were not motivated by hostility towards sexuality itself.

Instead, she said Grindr was used because it offered “an opportunity to gain easy access into the homes of the victims,” adding that the offenders were likely banking on the victims not reporting the crimes.

How the scam worked

To facilitate the burglaries, a Grindr profile was set up that usually had no photograph. When asked for pictures, the men sent images of someone else.

Meet-ups were arranged, and on several occasions Mohammadi asked to bring a friend — Hotak. Once inside, they would ask the victim to play music on YouTube, knowing the phone could not be locked while a video was playing.

They then used distraction tactics, such as asking the victim to take a shower, make a drink, or show one of them the toilet. When the victim returned, the phone — and sometimes one of the men — was gone.

A jury found Mohammadi guilty of 10 counts of burglary of a dwelling, nine counts of fraud by false representation, and one count of theft.

Hotak was convicted of five counts of burglary, five counts of fraud by false representation, and one count of theft. Mohammadi was acquitted of 10 further charges, while Hotak was acquitted of 13.

Victims speak of lasting trauma

One victim, Cody Aker, told the court he lost irreplaceable photographs of deceased family members stored on his phone after being burgled by Mohammadi in December 2024. He was later defrauded by both men.

Mr Aker said he was hospitalised this year with severe psychological trauma and described covering his CCTV cameras with plastic bags because he felt they were watching him. He said he strongly perceived the incident as a hate crime and described Grindr as a “hunting ground.”

Another victim, Lester Macabodbod, said he believed the men targeted gay men because they assumed victims would not go to the police. He said he felt victimised because of his sexuality.

One theft charge related to an incident in Golders Hill Park, Golders Green, on October 24, 2024, where the men met Petros Petrou. They asked him to play music before stealing his phone.

Mr Petrou said he was led into a dark, wet park late at night, encouraged to undress, and left cold, shocked and humiliated. He said the theft caused serious financial hardship, forcing him to take out a loan to cover food and rent, and permanently damaged his trust in online dating.

Defence argument

Hotak’s defence lawyer, John Kearney, told the court the men chose Grindr because “there is no comeback,” describing how the app allowed anonymous strangers to be invited into private homes with little accountability.

Superintendent Owen Renowden, the hate crime lead for the Metropolitan Police, said the crimes were callous, calculated and pre-planned.

He said the offenders’ actions had a devastating impact on victims and stressed that nobody should be made to feel unsafe in their own home, adding that the trauma caused would stay with victims long after the sentences were served.