A decade of deception: How India’s ‘looting bride’ stole hearts and millions
Seema, alias Nikki, scoured matrimonial websites, preying on divorced or widowed men
Dubai: In a tale straight out of a thriller, a woman dubbed the “Looteri Dulhan” (looting bride) has been arrested after a decade of elaborate scams that left wealthy men heartbroken and poorer by millions.
Seema, alias Nikki, a resident of Uttarakhand, orchestrated her schemes with precision, marrying unsuspecting men and vanishing with settlements and stolen valuables totalling Rs12.5 million, according to Indian media reports.
Seema’s fraudulent journey began in 2013 when she tied the knot with a businessman from Agra. Within months, she filed legal allegations against his family, eventually extracting a settlement of Rs7.5 million.
Her next target came in 2017 — a software engineer from Gurugram. The pattern repeated: A whirlwind romance, marriage, and then accusations. This time, she secured Rs1 million in a settlement. But by 2023, Seema had refined her act.
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Her third victim, a businessman from Jaipur, didn’t even get the chance to negotiate. Shortly after their wedding, Seema fled with jewellery and cash worth Rs3.6 million.
It was this act of brazen theft that finally led to her arrest. Following a police complaint and months of investigation, Jaipur Police apprehended her, unraveling the twisted web of her schemes.
A master of deception
Seema’s modus operandi was chillingly methodical. She scoured matrimonial websites, preying on divorced or widowed men, carefully chosen for their emotional vulnerabilities.
Once she earned their trust and married them, she wasted no time executing her plans. To avoid detection, Seema married men across different states, creating a complex trail that baffled law enforcement for years. Her final act in Jaipur brought her decade-long con artistry to light.
Authorities are now probing whether Seema acted alone or had accomplices and whether there are more unsuspecting victims still reeling from her betrayal.
A wake-up call for matrimonial users
The police have issued a stark warning for users of matrimonial platforms: Exercise extreme caution and conduct thorough background checks before committing to a match.
Seema’s saga is a grim reminder of the dangers lurking behind seemingly innocent profiles. As investigators dig deeper into this case, one thing is certain: The story of the “Looteri Dulhan” is a chilling reminder that not every match made online is destined for a happily-ever-after.