DATING SCAMMER Ekaterina Gavrilenko

Corresponded for over 12 months by letter until she learnt english and began requesting increasing amounts of money. Obtained $5000 US.
To explain the complaint I will explain the circumstances and history of our 'friendship'. I have corresponded with Ms Gavrilenko for 2 and a half years. I first began corresponding with her in August 2001.
Some time later I received a reply and we began corresponding regularly. Ms Gavrilenko and I were in correspondence for almost a year before I sent money for her to begin to learn some English. I had heard that there were deceptive women but I was of the belief that since Ms Gavrilenko did not at first ask for money she was genuine. I am also a very good and experienced Police Officer and I did not suspect her to be like this. Unfortunately I was proved very wrong. As our 'friendship' grew I continued to send money at her request. In June 2003 I went to Ukraine and met Ms Gavrilenko and her mother in Kyiv. I must admit I had an absolutely wonderful time and I was greatly impressed with Ukraine and Ukrainians. I thought it was a beautiful country and the best compliment I can give is that I was actually sad when I was flying home and saw Sydney come into view. I was also very impressed with Ms Gavrilenko and we got along very well. Looking back I see it was nothing more than an all expenses paid holiday and shopping trip for Ms Gavrilenko.
After I returned to Australia we continued to correspond. There was certain issues that arose from our meeting that would later become the excuse for Ms Gavrilenko to 'end' our relationship.
Ms Gavrilenko began to request money often and for substantial amounts. In August 2003 she requested money for a computer, for her birthday, then educational courses. I sent her money for English lessons but I have since found she already speaks English. I thought this would be beneficial for her as she had little education and as our view moved towards her coming to Australia, it would be important training for her. I sent the money for a computer in September ($1100 US). I have since found the amount I sent to be an inflated price (computer costs $350 US). I received no further correspondence from Ms Gavrilenko after this. I wrote a number of letters and still spoke to her on the telephone until December 2003. She continued to request money for a passport and costs involved with her coming to Australia. I would purchase and supply the airline tickets, although she initially asked me to send the money and she would get the tickets.
I sent a letter discussing certain issues and asking her why I had not received a copy of her passport as she claimed she had sent three copies but none ever arrived. On December 26, 2003 she asked for $550 US to pay for the Visa to come to Australia. In October I sent the equivalent of the cost of $65 Australian in US dollars. I questioned her about this on the 27th December and she terminated the telephone call and refused to answer any further calls. I called at other times but would be met only with silence or she acted that she could not hear me.
I have attempted to contact Ms Gavrilenko twice since late December. Both times have been without success.
I have done some research and found that even after all this time Ms Gavrilenko has a number of advertisements on various introduction agencies on the internet. She had four advertisements even after I came back from Ukraine. They had all been submitted from before August 2001 to March 2002. She advertises herself on 'Anastasia', or 'russianbrides' as 24V-155 and 25V-278. She advertises herself at 'Kherson Pearls' or 'khersonpearls' as 694, she advertises herself at 'A Special Lady' or 'www.special-lady.com' and at 'emailorderbrides'. She also advertises as 'Romeo Juliet' agency at 'www.romeojuliet.com' as D73. She continues to advertise herself. All agencies said they would remove her.
Ms Gavrilenko has requested money for correspondence, computers, travel, visa, passport, medicine and education. She stated to me that she had purchased a modem and would begin correspondence over the internet but never did. I have sent her a total of approximately $7100 Australian dollars which is equivalent to approximately 21,000 Hryvnia between October 2002 and November 2003. I realise that I may not be able to get this money back but I believe that Ms Gavrilenko has committed fraud. I believe it is possible that she is part of an organised scam operation. She is a very patient and deceptive person. I expected her to comply with the law of Ukraine and I am certain that I will not be the only man whom she has taken money from. I have since found that the money I have sent is a considerable amount in Ukraine and I doubt very much that she has paid any tax on it or any other money she has received. I have contacted each introduction agency to inform them about Ms Gavrilenko although I am certain there are others I do not know about. The only Ukrainian based agency that I know she has advertised with is Kherson Pearls. I have been informed by the owner of this agency that Gavrilenko met another man in Nikolaev. She attempted to use this trip as a shopping holiday too but he refused and she ended the holiday and relationship. She also informed me that Gavrilenko has a boyfriend at this time and has been seen with numerous other men. I have also been in contact with men who have received unsolicited emails from her. By the third email she was asking for money.
Since investigating this matter myself I have found out on 2nd February from a man who lives in Kherson that he met Gavrilenko three years ago and she had become involved in organised scamming. He said she lives clearly beyond her means and that of her family. He also said she has a boyfriend. He also said she advertises on a notorious agency 'Ran De Vu' at http://numa.co.il. I have also been told she has friends at the 'Millenium' night club in Kherson which is apparently involved with the mafia.
I informed her by letter of the information that I knew and in mid February she sent an email to me wanting me to contact her possibly to reconcile. I believe she is clearly afraid that I have discovered her operation.