Mum-of-two duped out of £80k in Bitcoin by 'silver fox' she met on Facebook - the pictures were actually the Latvian Minister for Defence

When Sharon Bulmer was approached by a desperate US solider on Facebook, she thought all her dreams had come true.

He was good-looking, "lonely" and 'promised her the world'.

The mum-of-two, from Swinton, ended her relationship with her partner of 29 years and began planning a new life with 'Murphy Townsend'.

Soon, after talking daily, he wanted to visit Sharon, 51, in Manchester.

All he needed was £1,400 in Bitcoin to pay for his flight from Raqqa, Syria, where he was serving in the armed forces.

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“He said it was the safest way to do it,” she said.

Two years later, Sharon had forked out almost £80,000 to her internet lover - despite never seeing his face.

The face she thought she knew as 'Murphy Townsend' was in fact Artis Pabriks - the Latvian Minister for Defence.

And the fake profile was one of more than 100 featuring images of the suave politician.

'Murphy' swindled Sharon out of thousands after sending that first Facebook message saying he was "lonely' in May 2020.

Sharon is still coming to terms with being conned.

She said: "He asked me to help him and I did, but over the time it's got me into huge debt and because I have fallen for this person.

"I just wanted to help him so much. I know I have been a fool but these are the things we do for love."

The person behind the account claimed to be a 56-year-old man from Washington DC, with a 17-year-old daughter called Helen.

Murphy told Sharon he was serving with the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team at Base 29 in Raqqa, Syria.

But, when Sharon enquired with the US authorities, she was told there was no 'Murphy Townsend' on their records at all.

She said: “He always kept things close