David Checkley, a cunning romance scammer, was sentenced to 11 years in prison for defrauding approximately £100,000 from at least ten female victims. Checkley wove a web of lies to trick his victims into believing he was a successful and powerful man, convincing them to hand over their money.
Checkley, 65, used fake identities, including David Cohen, to carry out his scams. He claimed to be a fighter pilot, a Vietnam War veteran, a successful architect, and to have powerful friends and a wealthy ex-wife. However, all of these claims were fabricated.
Checkley's victims ranged in age from 40 to 70 years old. He met them through online dating platforms and social media, and played on their emotions to gain their trust. He would often tell them sad stories about his life, claiming to need financial assistance for various reasons.
Checkley's fraudulent activities came to the attention of the Metropolitan Police's Economic Crime Team in June 2021 after several victims reported his suspicious behavior. Detectives launched an investigation and discovered that Checkley had targeted women across the country using the same modus operandi.
Within a week of the investigation, detectives identified two potential new victims, located several of Checkley's possible addresses, and uncovered various assets he had acquired through his scams. They also discovered that Checkley was on vacation in Ibiza at the time.
During financial inquiries, detectives identified another potential victim in Harrow, England. In July 2021, Checkley returned to the UK and was arrested as he arrived at her address.
The occupant of the house, who had been in a relationship with Checkley for five years, was unaware of his criminal activities. She had no idea that he was scamming other women.
A search of the address revealed invoices for expensive jewelry, a brochure for a large mansion in Hertfordshire, and a receipt for a Ј7,250 Rolex watch purchased in 2018. In the garage, officers found two new Harley Davidson motorcycles worth approximately Ј40,000 that had been purchased using Checkley's account.
A Mini and three Mercedes cars all linked to Checkley were also found parked near the address.
Officers also tracked down a property in Westminster, where they discovered another victim who had been in a relationship with Checkley for five years. Similar to the other victims, she was unaware of his fraudulent activities. A search of his room unearthed bank statements with accounts he had asked women to pay money into.
The total loss from Checkley's scams against ten female victims was approximately £100,000.
Detective Superintendent John Roch, from the Met's Economic Crime Team, commended the victims for coming forward to report Checkley. He emphasized that romance fraud can have a significant emotional and financial impact on victims, and expressed hope that the sentencing would provide some closure for the women in this case.
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