Man 'scammed friends and family out of £420,000 in fake designer handbag scheme'

Daily Mirror

24-06-2025

Jack Watkin, 26, appeared in court on Monday accused of conning friends and family out of £420,000 in a meticulously planned fashion scheme involving Hermès handbags
A man allegedly posed as a jet-setting millionaire, rubbing shoulders with the rich and stylish while flashing luxury handbags and watches on social media in order to convince friends and family he was a successful entrepreneur.
Jack Watkin, 26, is on trial accused of swindling friends, family and associates out of over £420,000 in a bogus high-end fashion scheme. He allegedly spun a web of lies, convincing his friends and family to invest in what he described as a lucrative business buying and selling exclusive Hermès handbags. But Chester Crown Court heard on Tuesday that the promised designer bags never existed.
Instead, prosecutors claim, Watkin used the money to fund an extravagant lifestyle of luxury hotels, lavish holidays and designer goods, all while dodging creditors and spinning new tales to cover his tracks.
Now, the man once seen as a glamorous figure in Cheshire's elite social circles is on trial, accused of seven counts of fraud and two of theft involving six victims between December 2019 and August 2024. He denies all charges.
With his ponytail, designer clothes, and confident online persona, Watkin cultivated the image of a successful young entrepreneur, the court heard.
Prosecutor Matthew Kerruish-Jones said the scam centred around the exclusive French luxury brand Hermès, known for its highly sought-after Birkin and Kelly handbags - items so rare that even the wealthy often struggle to buy them directly. The bags can retail for up to £10,000 if bought directly, but second-hand goods can often double in price due to their exclusivity.
The court heard how Watkin convinced friends and business contacts that he had a personal relationship with a senior figure at Hermès, allowing him rare access to the luxury bags, which he claimed he could resell for profit.
'The defendant put forward the outward façade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle,' Mr Kerruish-Jones told the jury. 'This engendered trust and led a number of individuals to loan him large sums of money on the promise of either a financial return, or luxury items. Neither of which materialised.'
Among the alleged victims was Hannah Jakes, a long-time friend of Watkin's, who lost more than £233,000. The court heard that despite their personal relationship, she believed she was misled for months and left out of pocket when the promised returns failed to arrive.
Another alleged victim, boutique owner Christine Colbert, who runs the designer store Dress Cheshire in Prestbury, invested £78,000. She was also accusing Watkin of stealing two high-value handbags from her shop: a blue Hermès bag worth £21,000 and a Goyard alligator handbag worth £8,000.
Watkin's own father, 55-year-old Jason Watkin, a property developer, was allegedly duped out of £30,000. The court was told their relationship soured when Jason refused to lend his son £100,000, expressing concern about his lavish spending and lack of employment.
'Mr Watkin was concerned by the amount of money the defendant appeared to be spending on his social life, despite having no formal employment,' the prosecutor said.
Watkin's alleged scheme extended beyond family. James Irlam, a businessman introduced to Watkin through a family connection, initially bought a Hermès Birkin bag for his wife's birthday. Impressed by what he believed was a legitimate business, Mr Irlam later handed over around £65,500 for three more handbags.
But, like the others, he claimed to never receive bags or any financial return. He eventually launched legal action against Watkin.
The court also heard from Andor Farkas, a barman who worked at Harrods in London, who said he lost around £14,000. Watkin reportedly told him he was a millionaire and convinced him to allow purchases on his personal credit card, promising repayment and profit. But no money was ever returned.
The final alleged victim, Naheem Akhtar, met Watkin via social media. Impressed by his flashy online lifestyle and supposed links to fashion, Mr Akhtar transferred £840 for a pair of luxury Loro Piana 'summer walk' shoes - shoes he never received.
When he chased Watkin, he was met with what the court described as 'endless excuses', including claims that he was in hospital.
Ms Colbert later took to Instagram to publicly warn others, claiming she had been defrauded. The post caught the attention of Ms Jakes, who reached out - and the pair said they had both been duped.
Together, they hatched a plan. Ms Jakes arranged to meet Watkin in Alderley Edge. As soon as he arrived, she contacted Ms Colbert, who alerted Cheshire Police. Officers swooped in and arrested him on the spot.
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When questioned by police, Watkin claimed his lavish lifestyle was funded by his mother and an unnamed partner. He insisted he planned to repay Ms Colbert and claimed Ms Jakes was 'flexible' about the money he owed her.
But investigators said they uncovered a very different picture. They said Watkin had no employment, had been declared bankrupt a year earlier, and was pawning luxury goods rather than reselling them as promised. A forensic accountant was brought in to track the flow of funds and confirmed substantial payments from each of the six alleged victims.
'There is no dispute as to the accuracy of the figures,' Mr Kerruish-Jones said. 'Rather, the defendant will assert he provided a number of the ordered items, made repayments, or that the money received was simply unrelated.'
But he told jurors: 'You may ask yourself - if this was a legitimate venture, why did the defendant repeatedly borrow money and fail to deliver? Does his explanation hold water when you compare it to the life he was living? We say simply that this was a dishonest enterprise.'
The trial, expected to last two weeks, continues.