National Lottery conman Edward Putman's 'secret fiancée' has reportedly gone into hiding after the fraudster was jailed last week.
Builder Edward Putman, 54, was found guilty of fraud by false representation on October 4 after claiming an outstanding jackpot of £2.5 million with a fake ticket in 2009.
Now, his lover Lita Stephens, 64, is said to be laying low - according to a close friend.
They said Lita, who it was not publicly known Putman was engaged to until now, is the only person the con man still trusts.
He also reportedly used his stolen millions to shower Lita with jewellery and diamonds.
A friend of Putman's reportedly said has "always been about money".
They said: "He loved Lita. I think that’s why she’s stuck with him when others would have written him off as a monster.
“But I don’t believe for one minute he bought her any of those things to be romantic.
"The way his brain works, he’ll have been seeing the benefit to him."
Lita had reportedly been made a widow soon before Putman made advances towards her in 2006.
Putman was jailed for nine years after being found guilty of fraud.
Rapist Putman, from Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, conspired with friend Giles Knibbs - who worked in the securities department at Camelot between 2004 and 2010.
Authorities released an image of the ticket he used to con Camelot out of the jackpot in a near-perfect forgery that even fooled the top Lotto operator.
The genuine winning ticket, which was bought in Worcester, has never been discovered.
Passing sentence, judge Philip Grey said the "sophisticated, carefully planned, and diligently operated fraud" struck at the heart of the integrity of the National Lottery.
He said: "You would have got away with this but quite plainly you were greedy.
"This crime struck at the integrity of the National Lottery. You have also undermined the public's trust in the lottery itself."
The judge said the fact Camelot had been "hoodwinked in this way will of course be damaging to its reputation".
The court was also told that Putman had previous convictions for rape and benefit fraud.
Putman was paid the jackpot by Camelot despite the bottom part of the mangled slip missing the barcode, the trial heard.
He submitted a damaged fake ticket to take the top prize in September 2009 that matched a real National Lottery ticket bought in Worcester in March earlier that year.
The trial was told Mr Knibbs did not feel he had received his fair share of the jackpot, which was paid out to Putman, and they had a bitter argument.
Mr Knibbs killed himself later that year, the court was told, having been arrested for burglary, blackmail and criminal damage.