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‘It was like a death’: The woman who dated an international con artist

Tracy Hall thought she had fallen for the love of her life. But the truth was, she had fallen for a scam that cost her her life savings. In the latest episode of Motives & Methods, Dr Xanthé Mallett and criminal psychologist Dr Tim Watson-Munro delve into the harrowing story of Tracy Hall, whose life was turned upside down by notorious Australian con man Hamish McLaren. 

Tracy Hall was one of Hamish’s victims. (9th) McLaren is known as one of Australia’s most notorious con men, manipulating a wide range of people over decades, cementing his status as a master of fraud. From posing as a wealthy investment banker to claiming connections to high society, McLaren’s story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of trusting the wrong people.For Hall, who met “Max Tavita” on a dating app 18 months before her arrest, the deception was more than just a newspaper headline – it was a deeply personal and devastating betrayal. “I had spent almost 18 months falling in love with this man and I had to fall out of love with him in 24 hours,” she said. “It was like a death. I was grieving a fake person and a fake relationship. I trusted him.” McLaren was sentenced to 16 years in prison, which was reduced to 12 years on appeal, with a non-parole period of nine years.

'It was like a death': Woman who dated international scammer

Con man Hamish McLaren has admitted 18 fraud charges. (A Current Affair) With parole likely in 2026, Hall said she was concerned about the possibility he would reoffend. “The scam was quite extensive, quite detailed,” Mallett said. “How much money do they estimate he stole over quite a long period of time? $80 million to $100 million worldwide. But we know there are people who haven’t come forward.” “I did have to come to terms with the fact that I was never going to get that money again. At the same time he called me from prison and I thought it was a win for both of us. I felt like he was putting the $317,000 bait in front of me to go to him. He was giving me everything and I had nothing.”

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