Joseph Gibson, a 35-year-old man from Denbighshire, has been sentenced to three years and two months in prison for defrauding four individuals out of nearly £68,000. Gibson posed as a wealthy former special forces soldier suffering from cancer to gain the trust of his victims, two of whom he met on the dating app Tinder.
During the sentencing at Bristol Crown Court, it was revealed that Gibson had falsely claimed to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds, to have served in the Special Boat Service, and to own multiple yachts. He pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation.
A subsequent hearing will be held to determine how Gibson will repay the defrauded amounts to his victims.
One victim was convinced to send Gibson money for purported business opportunities, hospital expenses, and online trading, ultimately losing over £5,600 and reporting significant anxiety and emotional distress. Another victim, identified as SC, invested more than £30,000 after Gibson promised substantial returns through investments and trading. This victim lost £21,000 of her investment, receiving only about £9,700 back, and was left heavily in debt.
Another victim, JH, invested £28,000 based on Gibson's claims of being a successful businessman. She recovered £10,000 of her investment and stated that the ordeal had negatively impacted her relationships with her children. The fourth victim, a retired super yacht captain known as PH, invested £23,350 and reported suffering severe emotional distress as a result of the fraud.