A journey through deception, betrayal

NETFLIX'S latest documentary, Con Mum is the kind of true-crime story that leaves your jaw on the floor and your faith in humanity severely shaken.

- BERNELEE VOLLMER

It unravels the shocking story of Graham Hornigold, a renowned British pastry chef who falls victim to an elaborate con which is orchestrated by a woman claiming to be his long-lost mother.

This turns into a twisted web of manipulation, deceit and a desperate search for love that ends in financial ruin. At first glance, Hornigold's life seemed like a success story. Born in 1974 on a British army base in Germany, his childhood was anything but easy.

He bounced around in foster care before moving to Hertfordshire to live with his father and stepmother.

His father, an ex-army man with a drinking problem and a violent streak, left lasting scars but Hornigold didn't let his troubled upbringing define him.

By the age of 28, he was already making a name in the culinary world, becoming the executive pastry chef at The Lanesborough Hotel, where his work earned prestigious accolades.

Later, he joined the Hakkasan Group, oversaw pastry sections worldwide and even became a judge on Junior Bake Off and MasterChef: The Professionals.

By 2019, he co-founded Longboys, a gourmet doughnut brand that took London by storm.

Then came the email in July 2020.

A woman named Dionne reached out, claiming to be his biological mother.

The timing couldn't have been more emotional as Hornigold was about to become a father himself.

He had spent his life not knowing his birth mother and suddenly, here she was, seemingly eager to reconnect.