Tortoise launches podcast based on cat-fishing case

Investigation follows events which led to civil claim

Website Tortoise media has launched a podcast investigation into the events underlying a ground-breaking privacy claim, which was brought over a nine year “cat-fishing” campaign.

The first two episodes of the podcast series, produced by award-winning investigative journalist Alexi Mostrous, and entitled “Sweet Bobby”, were launched on to podcast providers on Thursday 28 October 2021.

New episodes will be published every Thursday for the next four weeks.

The Tortoise investigation follows the romantic relationship between the victim of the campaign, Kirat Assi, and a man she meets online, “Bobby”, which sees her “reeled into a scam of epic proportions”.

The events described in the podcast were the focus of a privacy claim by Ms Assi against the perpetrator, which was issued in October 2020 and settled by a Court Order dated 14th June 2021.

The claim for damages and injunctive relief, which was brought in misuse of private information, harassment, and under the GDPR, is thought to be the first successful civil claim relating to a cat-fishing scam in this country, and in the common law world.

Gervase de Wilde of 5RB acted for Ms Assi, instructed by Yair Cohen and Filiz Kiani of Cohen Davis Solicitors.

The podcast is available on all platforms and (for Tortoise subscribers) at https://www.tortoisemedia.com/listen/sweet-bobby/