Two men described by police as part of "London's most prolific Grindr gang" have been jailed for a combined eight-and-a-half years after a calculated spree of burglaries and frauds that targeted men across the capital through the dating app Grindr. Rahmat Khan Mohammadi, 23, and Mohammed Bilal Hotak, 21, both Afghan nationals, used deception and digital manipulation between October 2024 and March 2025 to gain access to their victims' homes, ultimately stealing valuables and personal data that led to significant financial and psychological harm.
On Monday, December 22, 2025, at Isleworth Crown Court, Mohammadi received a five-year sentence, while Hotak was handed three-and-a-half years behind bars. The court heard how the two men orchestrated 35 burglaries and 20 related frauds, amassing a total of £68,000 from 22 victims over six months. According to the Metropolitan Police, their tactics involved creating Grindr profiles—often without photographs or using images of others—to lure victims into arranging meetings at their London residences.
Once inside, the pair deployed a range of distraction techniques. They would persuade their unsuspecting dates to hand over phone passwords under the pretense of wanting to play music or watch YouTube videos—ensuring the phone remained unlocked. Excuses such as taking a shower before sex, making a drink, or showing one perpetrator the toilet were commonly used to get the victim to leave the room. As Judge Adenike Balogun summarized in court, "In all the cases, when the victim returned to the main room you had left, or one or the other of you had left, and the victim found the mobile phone was missing."
Mohammadi and Hotak would then swiftly exit the property, sometimes with one acting as a getaway driver. With access to unlocked phones, they made online or contactless payments, transferred funds directly to themselves, and in some cases, stole additional high-value items such as wallets, passports, and watches. One victim was left hospitalised due to the stress caused when loans and overdrafts were fraudulently taken out in their name. Another recounted how their studies and finances were wrecked, while others described the lasting psychological trauma and distress of being violated in their own homes.
The investigation, led by the Met’s Specialist Crime Team, was sparked in autumn 2024 after multiple reports of phone thefts from men who had been contacted via Grindr. Officers meticulously reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) data, and thousands of phone records and text messages. This painstaking work not only linked Mohammadi and Hotak to each other but also to the full extent of their offending.
Detective Inspector Mark Gavin, from the Met's Specialist Crime Command, emphasized the importance of community engagement in the investigation: "We deployed specialist LGBT+ community liaison officers to review these crimes and worked closely with each victim to offer them support and advice daily, and this proved crucial in giving them the confidence to speak to us and provide information." This approach also helped the police present stronger evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service, elevating the charges from simple thefts to burglaries and frauds, which ultimately resulted in harsher sentences.
The Met also worked closely with the LGBT+ anti-abuse charity Galop and its own LGBT+ Advisory Group to ensure the case was handled with sensitivity and care. Superintendent Owen Renowden, the Met’s hate crime lead, acknowledged the broader significance of the case: "Prior to this investigation, there was a recognition that the use of apps to commit offending was there, but until we opened up our worldview, I didn't realise the coordination and the use of Grindr as an app in that way to facilitate offending. I didn't know it was quite as prevalent in that respect."
During sentencing, Judge Balogun addressed the psychological impact on the victims, stating, "I have taken note of the psychological trauma as well as the inconvenience caused to the victims, and the distress that all of them have expressed at allowing you into their homes – into their private space – only to be violated." While the prosecution, led by David Patience, argued that the men targeted victims because of their sexuality, suggesting the offences could be seen as hate crimes, the judge ultimately found the crimes to be opportunistic rather than motivated by hostility. "The presumed sexual orientation of the victims presented an opportunity for you to commit the crime, and in that respect I do find that the victims… were targeted because of their perceived vulnerability," Judge Balogun said. "But I am not persuaded that the offences demonstrated hostility to the victims based on their sexual orientation."
Defense lawyers for both men painted a picture of difficult backgrounds. Nathan Toms, representing Mohammadi, explained that his client fled Afghanistan after being stabbed at the age of 15 and facing threats from his own family. Hotak’s barrister, John Kearney, strongly denied any ill will towards the gay community, arguing instead that the crimes were committed out of opportunism and not prejudice.
Jasmine O'Connor, from Galop, highlighted the wider ramifications for the LGBT+ community: "Learning about the harmful and calculated manipulation of Grindr to target LGBT+ people is likely to have a real impact on our whole community's sense of safety. More must be done to ensure minoritised victims of crime have meaningful access to safety and criminal justice."
The Met’s response has included increased outreach and reassurance efforts within LGBT+ communities, aiming to rebuild trust after a landmark report found the force to be institutionally homophobic. Superintendent Renowden noted, "The Met is fully committed to ensuring all communities in London feel safe, as well as continuing to enhance the trust and confidence LGBT+ people place in us. Organised crime has a devastating impact on society and will not be tolerated."
For those who have experienced abuse or violence, Galop, the UK’s LGBT+ anti-abuse charity, remains available for support by telephone, email, or live chat. As this case closes, it leaves a lasting mark on both the victims and the wider community, serving as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities that can be exploited in the digital age—and the importance of vigilance, support, and justice in the face of such crimes.
