A 63-year-old NHS administrator in London has avoided prison after stealing £80,000 from her workplace and transferring the money to a man she met online in Nigeria.

Hyacinth Blair, an employee of the South London and Maudsley #NHS Trust, diverted the funds between June 2021 and January 2023 to Michael Okafor, with whom she had developed a long-distance online relationship.

At the Old Bailey, Blair admitted to fraud by abuse of position. She was handed a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, along with 250 hours of unpaid work, 15 days of rehabilitation, and six months of mental health treatment.

Judge Lynn Tayton KC described the crime as “sustained dishonesty” involving “planning and abuse of trust,” but said Blair’s lack of prior convictions, remorse, and positive character references allowed the court to suspend the sentence.

Blair, now on universal credit and dealing with depression, told probation officers she felt pressured to send the money but could not fully explain her actions. The judge noted that the case had harmed the NHS Trust’s reputation and public confidence in its financial safeguards.

The incident has sparked renewed discussion online about the risks of romance scams involving cross-border relationships, with some social media users highlighting the growing need for financial and emotional awareness in digital relationships.