A BLACKMAILER who demanded £10 million not to reveal sex secrets of a retired businessman faces time behind bars.
Jennifer Mbazira, 50, called herself Delilah on an exclusive dating app where she met the former Sussex company director.
She threatened to tell family, friends and business contacts he made her perform sickening sex acts if he did not pay.
A jury at Portsmouth Crown Court found her guilty today following a five-day trial.
His Honour Judge William Ashworth remanded her in custody and told Mbazira she was likely to be jailed.
“It’s likely you will receive an immediate custodial sentence of two years or more,” he said.
Asked if she understood, Mbazira said: “I don’t have to comment on anything about my life any more.”
She told the court the businessman subjected her to physical, racial and sexual abuse during the two and a half years she knew him.
In a series of emails and WhatsApp messages after the relationship ended, Mbazira demanded the £10 million hush money with menaces after accusing the retired businessman of subjecting her to degrading sexual acts.
He described her allegations as ridiculous.
The businessman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denied ever abusing Mbazira.
He described their on/off relationship as consensual and fun.
Mbazira, who represented herself, claimed her demands for £10 million were part of a fictionalised account of her life she was writing and never intended as blackmail threats.
Ugandan-born personal trainer Mbazira claimed she was standing up for her rights when she demanded £10 million from the businessman she accused of sexual, physical and racist abuse.
She claimed the businessman had promised to make her big.
Mbazira told the jury they had a conversation in her flat where he promised to fund her fashion businesses with millions of pounds.
Orlando Gibbons, prosecuting, told Mbazira she knew exactly what she was doing when she demanded £10 million from the businessman after lawyers she consulted told her he had no case to answer.
“You thought you were entitled to money from him and you knew you were not,” he told her.
In a rambling email, Mbazira asked the businessman why he had not taken her on holiday or bought her a Chanel handbag.
Mbazira claimed dating the businessman had cost her a lot of money in dresses, waxing, nails, hair and train tickets.
After sending her £2,000, he offered to pay another £20,000.
Mbazira sent another email demanding £10 million.
She wrote: "Thanks for the offer of £20,000. However, I cannot accept.
"You say you want me gone, to leave you alone and keep our relationship quiet.
"I need a new home and business and to help my son with his studies.
"I'll scrap plans for my memoir and never contact you again.
"I'm looking at £10 million. This will enable us to peacefully move on with our lives."
Asked by Mr Gibbons how he felt after reading the January 2019 email, the businessman said: "I took it totally seriously.
"I felt it was absolutely unjust and unwarranted and bore absolutely no relation to the reality of the situation.
"It simply bore no relationship to anything we had ever done together.
"I felt it was totally unwarranted. The allegation she was making against me were untrue.
"I seemed to have become a fictional person in her mind. She could not take on board I was not a billionaire and I felt intensely threatened by it."
The businessman said he was worried Mbazira would mention famous people and a member of the Royal Family.
The businessman had attended an event with Prince Edward and he was worried she would bring his name into it.
Theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber was also mentioned in the emails from Mbazira.
Mr Gibbons said Mbazira made an unwarranted demand of £10 million in 2019 in order to make financial gain for herself and to deprive the businessman of his money and reputation.
The single mother met the company director on a dating app advertised in The Times and Sunday Times called Encounters.
The site describes Encounters as a forum where singles who are serious about dating can match, meet and find love.
Mbazira was arrested in London in February 2019.
Judge Ashworth told Mbazira she would be back in court next month for sentencing.
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