A 29-year-old woman from Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, received a 15-month prison sentence after extorting more than £6,000 from a former online lover through a fabricated pregnancy scheme.
The Blackmail Scheme
Georgette Ravatte met the 25-year-old victim on the Kik social media app in 2023. They engaged in unprotected sex in August that year. Days later, she claimed to feel unwell and sent a voicemail demanding payment, stating: “You better send me money for a termination or a test or I will tell your mum everything.”
Ravatte falsely asserted she was carrying his child and pressured him for cash to maintain her silence, threatening to inform his mother. She also requested £250 for items during a supposed week-long hospital stay and warned that her cousin would resort to violence if he refused.
Terrified by the threats, the victim contacted police. Investigations confirmed Ravatte had extracted a total of £6,350 from him.
Court Proceedings and Sentence
In May 2024, Ravatte pleaded guilty to extortion at Glasgow Sheriff Court. She failed to appear for multiple sentencing hearings, prompting an arrest warrant. Authorities apprehended her earlier this month, and she faced court yesterday while remanded in custody.
Sheriff Louise Arrol, KC, highlighted Ravatte’s prior convictions for dishonesty, court order breaches, violence, and public disorder. The sheriff stated: “I am satisfied there is no other method of disposal available to me other than a custodial sentence.”
Upon release, Ravatte faces six months of supervision. The victim’s identity remains protected for legal reasons.
