Malta-based online dating empire under scrutiny over romance scams

Women across the globe have described being lured into costly online relationships via dating websites operated by two Maltese companies.  

An investigation by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) uncovered how women in Europe, the Americas and Australia entered online relationships with people they believed to be genuine suitors, only to discover they were often interacting with paid models, influencers or scripted operators. 

The companies at the centre of the allegations include Social Discovery Group and SOL Networks, which are based in Sliema and Gzira.   

They were founded by Russian national Dmitry Volkov, who controls more than 60 global dating brands.  

He became a Maltese citizen in 2018.  

ICIJ’s investigation centres on pay-per-message dating platforms such as AmoLatina, Dating.com and DateMyAge, which charge users for every interaction, including opening photos and videos. 

According to the reporting, women from Europe, the Americas and Australia described being drawn into emotionally intense relationships that never moved to live video or real-world meetings, while their credit balances drained away. 

The women discovered straight male suitors appearing in gay films and online content.  A gay woman found her love interest in straight porn, while another woman discovered the man who asked her to marry him had a wife. 

Models or influencers appearing on the dating platforms are recruited online and in person by intermediaries to create photos and videos that are used in dating profiles on multiple platforms, often simultaneously, typically mixed in with genuine profiles 

At the centre of the allegations is a business model built on paid engagement. 

Users pay per text, emoji, photo or video, while the profiles that keep them hooked are often presented as verified and authentic. 

The women interviewed said the men they corresponded with were affectionate and attentive, but consistently avoided live communication. 

When doubts grew, the platforms reportedly sent prerecorded videos meant to reassure users that the relationships were genuine. 

Paid interactions 

The ICIJ’s investigation also describes a broader ecosystem around the platforms, including marketing firms, translators and “chat operators” who help keep conversations flowing. 

The Malta-based company denies paying people to impersonate romantic partners, but they admit working with third-party marketing partners to recruit and onboard users. 

They also say verification does not guarantee a person’s occupation, intentions or willingness to meet in person. 

Maria, a Cypriot woman who took her complaint to the Malta Consumer Affairs Authority (MCAA) after realising she had been duped, spent nearly two years on AmoLatina believing she had found a soulmate, only to later identify him as a Brazilian model. 

The authority told reporters it is carrying out a detailed assessment to determine whether a formal investigation was warranted. 

From her home in Cyprus, Maria exchanged photos, voice messages, letters and late-night thoughts on travel, children, art and love with Dan, who presented himself as a divorced Brazilian living in Argentina.  

Dan called Maria his “soulmate,” his “beautiful Greek goddess,” the “wife of my life,” promising he would never hurt her and that they would be together forever. 

At 51, divorced after a court battle, raising two children, and carrying the weight of family tragedies including the suicide of a close relative and the sexual abuse suffered by another, Maria wanted to believe him. “He was never rude to me or cruel,” she said. 

AmoLatina charged her for virtually every interaction. Maria paid every time she replied to a message, clicked on a photo, and opened a video. 

Dan wrote: “In a world where honesty seems like a hard-to-find treasure, I deeply value transparency, respect and loyalty. I’m not looking for a fleeting moment but rather a sincere love, someone to share my life with and build a future full of unforgettable moments.” 

For Maria that attention came at a bitter cost, when she discovered her relationship with Dan was a facade cultivated to engage her. 

She grew suspicious about Dan over time. 

Messages came at odd hours and despite nearly two years of daily communication, Dan never agreed to live video calls, stating both that a contract prevented him from communicating off-platform and that a manager ran his social media accounts. 

As her unease peaked, Maria contacted AmoLatina, which offered explanations about privacy and professional constraints on Dan’s availability. 

AmoLatina also sent Maria a prerecorded video of Dan sitting on a bench as evidence that he was genuine. 

The video came with a  threat from AmoLatina that sharing it could result in legal action. 

Exhausted by her unsustainable spending and the pattern of affection, evasion and reassurance, and having finally concluded that Dan was playing her, Maria moved on. 

She later engaged with two other profiles linked to models, again spending significant sums through paid interactions 

Between chats with Dan and the profiles of two other purported lovers, she had spent €53,000 she said. 

More victims

Apart from Maria’s case, ICIJ found other victims in Brazil, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and scores more of both genders online.  

Many of the women said they were lured onto AmoLatina.com and related platforms by advertised promises that the sites were safe, the users were verified and the communications were authentic. 

Instead, they said they were emotionally manipulated into relationships with highly attractive, smooth-talking profiles, who, unlike them, were using the site free of charge and keeping the paying users engaged.  

In response to questions, Social Discovery Group said it employs a multilayered approach to detecting fraud, including identity verification, AI-assisted monitoring of requests for money or to move conversations off-platform, and other measures. 

The company said that in 2025 it removed more than 30,000 accounts suspected of fraudulent activity.   

It said it has strict rules governing the way people use its platforms and its relationship with affiliate partners.  

“The group takes very seriously any allegations of wrongdoing or breaches of those rules and regulations. 

“We use a range of enhanced verification and diverse monitoring to try to make our connections safe for the millions of people that use them,” the company said.