‘Callous’ conman Rick McLeod who tricked women out of $180,000 on dating sites and spent the money on drinking and gambling discovers his fate

A Melbourne man who swindled more than $180,000 from women he met on dating sites will spend at least two years behind bars.

Between July 2017 and June 2019, Rick McLeod convinced four women he met on the site Oasis to invest thousands of dollars through his so-called brokerage company.

Each of the women sent McLeod money ranging from $15,200 to $80,000, believing they would get their money back with interest.

But McLeod instead used the money to fund his drinking and gambling habits, paying back just $9,900 of the $182,200 he took from the women.

The 74-year-old pleaded guilty in the Victorian County Court to obtaining financial advantage and property by deception and was sentenced on Friday.

County Court Judge Peter Rozen described McLeod's offending as callous and noted it had a lasting and devastating impact on the victims.

“You were fully aware of what you were doing,” the judge said in his sentencing remarks.

The 74-year-old scammed $182,200 from four women he met on dating app Oasis between July 2017 and June 2019 by convincing them to invest in his so-called brokerage firm

Judge Rozen noted that McLeod had 400 dishonest offenses on his criminal record and had previously served prison sentences for similar offences.

Protecting the community was important when it came to sentencing because McLeod's prospects for rehabilitation were poor, the judge said.

McLeod was sentenced to three years and 10 months in prison, but will be eligible for parole after two years and three months.