Marriage scam fraudster ordered to pay $10,000 to Wellington man for his 'emotional distress'

Li Jun Xue, 60, was found guilty of fraud last June after a Wellington man paid $35,000 to marry a Singaporean woman after answering a newspaper advertisement in 2013. Photo / File

A Singaporean fraudster who conned a lonely Wellington man out of $35,000 in a fake marriage scam has paid back the money and now been ordered to give him an extra $10,000 for his emotional distress.

Li Jun Xue, 60, was found guilty of fraud last June after a Wellington man paid $35,000 to marry a Singaporean woman after answering a newspaper advertisement in 2013.

He was looking for a long-term relationship.

But the woman that Xue had offered as a bride was not Singaporean, but a 45-year-old Malaysian woman named Jessica who was already married to an Australian.

The man met with Jessica on several occasions, "getting to know each other better", the summary of facts says.

Xue requested $50,000 as "security for Jessica" and demonstration of his financial capacity to look after her.

And while the man initially refused the offer, he later paid $35,000 as a "down payment as a gift for marriage to Jessica".

But when the victim and "Jessica" went to the Internal Affairs Department in Wellington, and then the immigration office, he was told that Jessica was already married to a man in Australia.

When the man raised this with Xue, she said she could arrange a divorce for Jessica from the Australia man if the victim paid another $10,000.

He contacted police and she was charged.

Xue left for Australia after she was found guilty.

But when she tried to fly back for sentencing earlier this year, she was denied entry to New Zealand by immigration authorities - on the basis of her fraud conviction she was about to be sentenced for.

Xue appeared for sentencing at Christchurch District Court today via audio visual link from Sydney.

Judge Tom Gilbert said Xue's scam had "a real impact on [the victim] over a lengthy period".

The man had saved the money over a number of years for the benefit of his son, the court heard.

After he was conned out of the money, he became depressed and suffered further financial loss when trying to recover the cash through civil remedies.

But despite his concerns over the missing money, Judge Gilbert said the man did not appear to hold any malice towards Xue.

In fact, the victim asked the judge to show some leniency towards her during sentencing.

Xue earlier repaid the $35,000 to the man which came as a "big relief".

Today, Judge Gilbert ordered Xue to pay the man an extra $10,000 in reparation, in part to compensate him for his financial loses, but also for the emotional distress that he has suffered. He also fined her $7500.