Gemma Kingsley, 50, tricked men into relationships with her and then used their money to fund her expensive lifestyle
Gemma Kingsley conned several men out of tens of thousands of pounds to bankroll a lavish lifestyle(Image: Wiltshire Police)
A romance fraudster from Northumberland who conned men into spending thousands of pounds funding her lavish lifestyle now faces the prospect of jail. Gemma Kingsley, 50, has pleaded guilty to over a dozen counts of theft and fraud, after she created a web of lies over a four-year period.
The model, from Beadnell, tricked several victims into relationships with her, telling lies such as that she would soon inherit a large fortune, which compelled the men to spend huge sums of money on her behalf, including planning a wedding. Also, she stole or used false bank details to pay thousands for hotel stays.
On Wednesday, at Swindon Crown Court, Kingsley pleaded guilty to six counts of theft, four counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of using a false instrument with intent that it will be accepted as genuine, and one count of being in possession of an article for use in fraud. She was remanded into custody until March 25, when she will be sentenced.
It was in 2019 that Wiltshire Police first received a report that she had used the bank details of her mother’s friend to pay for stay, with an investigation launched, and enquiries from other forces passed to them. Detectives subsequently found that Kingsley was in a relationship with the first victim between January 2016 and January 2018.
Court documents show Kingsley told the victim she was inheriting a “total inheritance fund” of £42 million from her grandfather and added that a solicitor had said she would be receiving £16 million. As a result, the victim spent thousands on furniture, dental bills, her debts and a potential wedding, assuming he would be reimbursed through the inheritance.
During this time period, Kingsley also repeatedly used his bank cards to steal money, and opened a betting account in his name, where she put a large amount of his money, which was then lost through gambling. This victim “lost in excess of £100,000” after falling for her lies, documents show.
Following the breakdown of that relationship, she started another with a second victim the following year.
Gemma Kingsley conned several men out of tens of thousands of pounds to bankroll a lavish lifestyle(Image: Wiltshire Police)
She mislead him in the same way, and he assisted her with deposits for a Land Rover and a Porsche, as well as expensive hotel stays which he could not afford, and she once again incurred a large debt through the use of his bank cards. In two further brief relationships in autumn of 2019, she used the victims’ bank cards to make purchases without their knowledge.
Police also found that Kingsley had committed theft and fraud against numerous other victims, including solicitor’s firms, lawyers and a bank, by falsifying documents. She was charged with various offences but failed to attend to court, and in June of last year, she was arrested on the Isle of Skye after being spotted speeding.
Detective Constable Melissa Pope, of the Wiltshire Police fraud team, said: “Kingsley wove a web of lies with her victims, causing significant emotional anxiety and long-term mental and financial harm. She manipulated their emotions, assuring them that through her future inheritance she would be able to repay the considerable sums of money that they were spending on her behalf.
“For one of the victims, an expensive wedding which had been planned, for which the victim’s relatives had booked to come from Australia, was cancelled at short notice. Following the launch of our investigation, Kingsley delayed the court process, denying what she had done until the final moment before a trial would be arranged.
“She lied continuously through the investigation, giving false statements and communicating various health issues as to why she shouldn’t face charges. I’m pleased she has finally admitted the romance fraud charges against her, as well as a number of other fraud and theft offences relating to other victims.
“I hope that her victims can now start to move on from this traumatic experience. It is a huge breach of trust and self-esteem which can take years to recover from”.
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