Fraudster posed as influencer to steal thousands of pounds worth of jewellery and antiques while house-sitting

A woman who portrayed herself as a glamorous influencer while living a life of luxury funded by crime has admitted a string of offences including fraud, burglary and theft.

Ariana Rose, 40, who has no fixed address and is believed to have previously used the name Sana Ali, pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to seven counts of fraud, perverting the course of justice, five burglaries and theft.

Appearing via video link from HMP Bronzefield in Surrey, Rose admitted carrying out a series of scams across England while sharing images of an apparently lavish lifestyle on Instagram.

The court heard she attended red carpet events, mixed with celebrities and presented herself as wealthy on social media while systematically defrauding victims.

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Among the offences were a series of rental scams in Manchester, where Rose illegally sublet a pensioner's flat and created a fake email account to communicate with unsuspecting tenants.

One victim paid £4,340 for temporary accommodation before discovering Rose had become "controlling and irrational", refusing to allow guests and restricting access to shared facilities.

When tenants demanded their deposits back, Rose allegedly responded with threats and intimidation, ultimately making £30,337 through fraudulent rent and fee payments.

Property administrator Caroline Evans later launched a private prosecution after Rose occupied a west London flat from September 2023 without paying rent, leaving more than £43,000 in arrears.

Ms Evans criticised the authorities for failing to act.

"I feel resentful and disillusioned that this case had to be privately prosecuted despite repeated efforts to get Action Fraud, the Crown Prosecution Service and the police to do something about it," she said.

While awaiting trial, Rose continued offending through the house-sitting platform TrustedHousesitters, targeting properties across Suffolk, Somerset, Hampshire and Essex between July and October 2025.

Following one three-day house sit in Warwickshire, homeowners returned to find thousands of pounds worth of valuables missing, including a £2,500 cocktail watch, a £4,000 gold bracelet and a Le Creuset pan.

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Police later arrested Rose in a rented BMW, recovering designer sunglasses, £2,450 in cash, foreign currency and a Rolex.

Officers also uncovered what prosecutors described as "an Aladdin's cave" containing expensive champagne, antiques, silverware, china and eight pairs of Jimmy Choo shoes.

The court heard Rose stole silver worth at least £14,711.

Her offending dates back to 2008, when she carried out unauthorised transactions totalling £60,000 while working at Barclays Bank, resulting in three fraud convictions and a suspended prison sentence.

Three years later, under the name Sana Ali, she was jailed for 20 months after defrauding prospective tenants through fake property viewings and bogus tenancy agreements.

Defending, Charlie Austin-Groome said Rose had experienced an unhappy childhood and spiralled into offending following her father's death from lung disease in 2023.

He said: "She knows any period in prison doesn't take away from the stress and anxiety her actions have had on people."

Rose is due to be sentenced on July 2.

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