Conwoman Sentenced for Selling Fake Rolexes, Faking Cancer
A hairdresser who swindled two brothers out of £76,000 in inheritance by selling them counterfeit watches and then falsely claiming to have terminal cancer received a suspended prison sentence.
Stacey Hedges, 40, a hairdresser, has been given a suspended sentence for defrauding two brothers out of their mother's £76,000 inheritance. Hedges sold the brothers eight fake Rolex watches between July 2022 and February 2023, claiming she could obtain them at a discount through her family connections in the jewelry industry.
She further deceived the brothers, Simon and Jonathan Stacey, by creating counterfeit Rolex warranty cards and a bogus email address purportedly from Charles Fox Jewellers to assure them that repairs to the "substandard" watches were underway. After several months without resolution, Simon Stacey contacted the real Charles Fox Jewellers and discovered Hedges had impersonated the company.
When confronted, Hedges escalated her deception by claiming she had terminal cancer. She established a JustGiving page to raise funds for private treatment, soliciting £1,390 from 28 donors, some of whom were genuine cancer sufferers. She even told her teenage daughter she was dying.
Hedges was arrested in August 2023 and pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud at Bournemouth Crown Court. The prosecution stated the fraud was sophisticated, involving not only the fake watches and documentation but also ongoing attempts to evade detection.
In a victim impact statement, Simon Stacey, himself a cancer survivor, described feeling “betrayed” by Hedges, who was a family friend. He expressed deep hurt and disillusionment that his late mother’s inheritance was stolen and that Hedges fabricated a terminal illness.
Defending Hedges, Francesca Da Costa cited her client's previous good character, her regret, and her role as the sole caregiver for her 15-year-old daughter, who has also been affected by the situation. The defense argued that an immediate custodial sentence would be catastrophic for both Hedges and her daughter.
Her Honour Judge Kerry Maylin acknowledged that Hedges' actions passed the custody threshold due to the betrayal of trust and the motivation of greed. However, she balanced this against Hedges' personal circumstances, sentencing her to two years and 11 months imprisonment, suspended for three years, and 250 hours of unpaid work. Proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act are expected later this year.