If you genuinely believe that you have been a victim of Dongqiao Li, I urge you to please report it to your local police force or to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Over the years he is known to have defrauded victims of around Aus $120,000. You can read more about that here in this article by Ben Grubb of Gay Sydney News.
That figure is likely to be much higher with some victims not reporting fraud to police, some police allegedly not following up reports and some police not linking reports of fraud to Dongqiao Li. An article by James King of Channel 7 has one alleged victim claiming that Li could have defrauded people of as much as $1 million. You can read that article here.
That alleged victim called Mei told Channel 7 reporter James King, “Just a back-of-the-letter calculation … A five-star hotel is $300-400 a night. That’s $100-200,000 a year. (He’s been) doing it since 2019 easily … that’s $1 million in hotel scams.”
I thank those victims who have come forward to report being defrauded by Dongqiao Li but urge those who have not to do so. I am aware of victims who have not come forward for a variety of reasons. Some may be closeted, some may be in monogamous relatioships, some may feel ashamed or embarrassed and others may just be happy to move on once the banks have reimbursed their money. I can assure you that Li likely plays on this.
Many victims of Li’s may be unaware he was the person who defrauded them. Other people may be visiting from overseas or interstate as tourists or on business trips and find it too much hassle to go to the police. Others may distrust the police or worry they may get into trouble.
However, I encourage you to contact your local police force or crime stoppers. If you live overseas, I suggest you contact the nearest police station in Australia where the crime took place. I have spoken with investigators, and they are keen for victims to come forward. It does not matter how long ago you were defrauded or how much or how little was taken. The more people that come forward the easier it is to hold Li to account, to build a case and to ensure he is suitably punished and hopefully rehabilitated.
I also encourage victims to follow up with police once they have reported the crime. I understand some victims have reported the fraud to police, but they claim the police have not kept them updated or followed up on their report. I encourage victims to be proactive on this.
When I first believed I had been defrauded by Li I felt ashamed and embarrassed, but I soon realised that he would continue to defraud others regardless and I did not want others to experience what I was going through. I felt that rather than having those feelings of shame and embarrassment it was better to fight back using the legal system. It has not been easy and at times I have felt that I have had to push every step of the way, but I feel that I had to do it not only for myself but for others. We are an often-vulnerable community, and we work better together.
Li has a string of convictions, community corrections orders, conditional release orders, one 12 month suspended prison sentence and one three-month custodial sentence in NSW, Victoria and South Australia. In addition to fraud related convictions, he also has prior convictions for shop lifting and possessing child pornography. I knew about the shop lifting but had no idea about possessing child pornography which I first read about in this article by Ben Grubb of Gay Sydney News published on 25 September 2025 after Li was sentenced to three months in prison by a Melbourne magistrate. It was an unexpected and unsettling revelation to say the least.
As well as the three states mentioned above I have also heard from alleged victims as far afield as Western Australia and Queensland.
Dongqiao Li is often also spelt as Dong Qiao Li and he is often known to friends as Tony Lee. He has been known to use the names Anton, Tony and Anthony to victims. He was born in July 1993. I know the exact date and am happy to provide it if needed.
Please know that you have done nothing wrong and have absolutely no need or cause to feel ashamed or embarrassed.
If you believe you have been a victim of Dongqiao Li’s please report it to your local police station or to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Please do not be a silent victim. Please help yourselves and the wider LGBTQIA+/queer community.
I am also willing to offer support and advice if you email me at Jamesriches739@gmail.com
Dongqiao Li leaving Sydney’s Downing Centre in March 2025.
Photo supplied.
The Grindr Swindler 
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