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The Independent
12 hours ago
- The Independent
Self-proclaimed ‘Kardashian of Cheshire' fraudster brags about wealth in documentary
Jack Watkin, 26, who previously featured in a Rich Kids of Instagram documentary, defrauded businesses and individuals of over £200,000. Watkin committed fraud by falsely claiming he had contacts for exclusive Hermes handbags and would split resale profits, spending the illicit gains at Harrods and the Dorchester hotel. He pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud by false representation at Chester Crown Court on Tuesday. Watkin was also convicted earlier in 2025 of nine offences related to indecent images and is scheduled to be sentenced for both the fraud and indecent images offences on 3 September. Watch the video in full above.
BBC News
a day ago
- Business
- BBC News
Luxury handbag conman admits swindling thousands
A "charismatic and persuasive" conman who persuaded people to invest thousands of pounds to buy and sell luxury handbags has pleaded guilty to Watkin, 26, gained his victims' trust by putting forward an "outward facade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle" but left them out of pocket, Chester Crown Court heard.A trial had begun on Monday but Watkin, of Alderley Edge, Cheshire, earlier pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud and will be sentenced on 3 conman, who was in Channel 4 documentary Rich Kids Of Instagram in 2016, spent the money he swindled in London's Harrods store and stays in the capital's five-star Dorchester hotel, according to police. Opening the trial, Matthew Kerruish-Jones, prosecuting, said: "The defendant put forward the outward facade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle."This, it seems, 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." He said complainants would be left "out of pocket for large sums of money".He added: "The defendant would make excuses and avoid the complainants, all the while spending large sums of money on maintaining his seemingly lavish lifestyle."Watkin had defrauded business and individuals to the value of over £200,000, Cheshire Police jury was told that the sought-after Hermes handbags cannot be purchased over the counter and any prospective customers have to be invited to buy one, making it a lucrative investment as the resale value can be much higher than the original price. Watkin told his victims he had the contacts that could give them access to the handbags and that they could split the profits made on resale. They then handed over their money in good faith but when his victims questioned the lack of any bag or money he would make duped one woman into handing over thousands thinking she was investing in the the luxury handbag when she was in fact paying his bills at the like the others, never received the handbags or their share in the profits of their who was remanded in custody, was also convicted earlier this year of nine offences related to indecent images. 'Created a ruse' Speaking after the hearing, Det Cons Gareth Yates said: "Jack Watkin is a male who has built a lifestyle on social media, on Instagram, and that lifestyle is one of exuberance."So if anyone was to look at that profile, you would see fancy hotels, luxury cars, designer clothing, and he created a following, and that following allowed him to create a ruse to be the fraudster we now know, and convicted fraudster."Senior crown prosecutor Laura Atherton said: "Some of these frauds span several years."Clearly, to be able to convince an individual for that length of time that you are going to repay money and you are going to provide goods, you have to be an incredibly charismatic and persuasive person to keep that up."It's just got to the stage where things had ran on for so long that complainants have then come forward when they come to the realisation, as it's the crown's case, that their goods or their money were never going to materialise." Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Self-proclaimed 'Kardashian of Cheshire' admits luxury handbag scam
A man who pretended to live a "glamorous and luxurious" lifestyle while he conned people out of thousands of pounds in a designer handbag scam has pleaded guilty to fraud. Jack Watkin, 26, who once starred in a Channel 4 documentary called Rich Kids of Instagram in 2016, described himself as the "Kardashian of Cheshire", police say. He persuaded people to invest huge sums - which he claimed was to buy and sell luxury handbags - but left them out of pocket. Instead, he spent the money in Harrods and on stays at The Dorchester, a five-star London hotel on the famous Park Lane, a court heard. A jury at Chester Crown Court heard how he gained his victims' trust by putting forward an "outward facade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle". On Tuesday, the second day of his trial, the defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud. Prosecutor Matthew Kerruish-Jones told the jury that Watkin "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," he said. He added: "The defendant would make excuses and avoid the complainants, all the while spending large sums of money on maintaining his seemingly lavish lifestyle." Watkin was said to have told victims their money would be used to buy Hermes handbags, which were then to be sold on for a profit. The jury was told bag purchases from Hermes were only allowed to select registered customers and, because of their exclusivity, the bags often attracted a value far in excess of their original price when resold. Watkin's victims included friend Hannah Jakes, who he admitted defrauding of £98,500, and Christine Colbert, owner of Dress Cheshire, who was defrauded of £43,800. He also defrauded his father, Jason Watkin, of £24,500. Andor Farkas, a barman at Harrods, was victim of a £14,000 fraud and had believed Watkin, a regular customer, was a millionaire, the court heard. Watkin also admitted fraud of more than £13,000 on James Irlam, who was told by Watkin he had a personal relationship with the director of Hermes and was able to source handbags. He also pleaded guilty to the £840 fraud of Naheem Akhtar, who the court heard had given Watkin the money for a pair of Lora Piana shoes which he never received. Read more from Sky News: Detective Constable Gareth Yates said: "Jack Watkin is a male who has built a lifestyle on social media, on Instagram, and that lifestyle is one of exuberance. "So if anyone was to look at that profile, you would see fancy hotels, luxury cars, designer clothing, and he created a following, and that following allowed him to create a ruse to be the fraudster we now know, and convicted fraudster." He added: "He often described himself as the Kardashian of Cheshire. What my understanding from that would be is that he is an individual of wealth and has the ability to purchase wealthy items, as a result of that he then gets notoriety, from an Instagram perspective, followers, people. People follow him with the desire to be him." Watkin was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on 3 September. He was warned by Judge Simon Berkson he faces a prison sentence.
Sky News
a day ago
- Sky News
Self-proclaimed 'Kardashian of Cheshire' admits luxury handbag scam
A man who pretended to live a "glamorous and luxurious" lifestyle while he conned people out of thousands of pounds in a designer handbag scam has pleaded guilty to fraud. Jack Watkin, 26, who once starred in a Channel 4 documentary called Rich Kids of Instagram in 2016, described himself as the "Kardashian of Cheshire", police say. He persuaded people to invest huge sums - which he claimed was to buy and sell luxury handbags - but left them out of pocket. Instead, he spent the money in Harrods and on stays at The Dorchester, a five-star London hotel on the famous Park Lane, a court heard. A jury at Chester Crown Court heard how he gained his victims' trust by putting forward an "outward facade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle". On Tuesday, the second day of his trial, the defendant pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud. Prosecutor Matthew Kerruish-Jones told the jury that Watkin "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," he said. He added: "The defendant would make excuses and avoid the complainants, all the while spending large sums of money on maintaining his seemingly lavish lifestyle." Watkin was said to have told victims their money would be used to buy Hermes handbags, which were then to be sold on for a profit. The jury was told bag purchases from Hermes were only allowed to select registered customers and, because of their exclusivity, the bags often attracted a value far in excess of their original price when resold. Watkin's victims included friend Hannah Jakes, who he admitted defrauding of £98,500, and Christine Colbert, owner of Dress Cheshire, who was defrauded of £43,800. He also defrauded his father, Jason Watkin, of £24,500. Andor Farkas, a barman at Harrods, was victim of a £14,000 fraud and had believed Watkin, a regular customer, was a millionaire, the court heard. Watkin also admitted fraud of more than £13,000 on James Irlam, who was told by Watkin he had a personal relationship with the director of Hermes and was able to source handbags. He also pleaded guilty to the £840 fraud of Naheem Akhtar, who the court heard had given Watkin the money for a pair of Lora Piana shoes which he never received. Detective Constable Gareth Yates said: "Jack Watkin is a male who has built a lifestyle on social media, on Instagram, and that lifestyle is one of exuberance. "So if anyone was to look at that profile, you would see fancy hotels, luxury cars, designer clothing, and he created a following, and that following allowed him to create a ruse to be the fraudster we now know, and convicted fraudster." He added: "He often described himself as the Kardashian of Cheshire. What my understanding from that would be is that he is an individual of wealth and has the ability to purchase wealthy items, as a result of that he then gets notoriety, from an Instagram perspective, followers, people. People follow him with the desire to be him." Watkin was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on 3 September. He was warned by Judge Simon Berkson he faces a prison sentence.
