A woman is on trial accused of posing as a male Army officer on the dating website Plenty of Fish to dupe a female victim into a sexual relationship, a court heard.
Blade Silvano, 44, allegedly used the name 'Hunter' and exchanged messages with the victim before they began meeting for sex. The prosecution claims Silvano deliberately concealed her gender throughout the months-long deception.
According to the prosecution, 'Hunter' would ensure intimacy occurred with low lighting or the lights off. The court heard that on one occasion, after a condom allegedly broke during sex, 'Hunter' assured the victim it was unlikely she would become pregnant, stating, "Trust me, I'm a doctor."
Despite noticing that her lover sounded "a little feminine," the alleged victim reportedly believed 'Hunter' was a man until she was contacted by the defendant's "wife" and discovered the truth. The victim told police she "felt sick" and thought it was a "joke" upon learning Silvano was a woman.
Silvano is accused of six counts of sexual assault by penetration, which allegedly took place between November 2022 and June 2023. She denies all charges. The prosecution described the alleged actions as a "concerted, detailed and entirely deliberate con perpetrated by this defendant over a number of months."
The defense maintains that the alleged victim was aware Silvano was a woman. The trial is ongoing.