Latest news with #bigamy
The Sun
07-08-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Scorned wives locked in battle over bigamist husband's £1.8m fortune after he secretly married BOTH of them
TWO wives are locked in a battle over their bigamist husband's £1.8million fortune after he secretly married both of them. Accountant James Dinsdale died of cancer aged 55 in October 2020 - leaving second wife Margaret Dinsdale to sort his affairs. 4 But the 41-year-old beautician found out James was still legally married to his first wife Victoria Fowell. The discovery meant her marriage was "void" - leaving Dinsdale with no automatic right to inherit the £1.8million fortune. Both women are now battling at the High Court after she claimed she deserved a share of the cash as she married James "in good faith". The court heard James married Fowell - a cosmetic dentist - in 2012 after whisking her off to Las Vegas. But the pair never got divorced and he wed Dinsdale five years later at a Vegas chapel just 600m from his first wedding location. Dinsdale's lawyer said she had no clue James was still married and believed the money would be shared between her and her husband's son William under intestacy rules. Jonathan Davey KC added: "She understood the marriage between the deceased and Dr Fowell to have ended some time prior to the relationship between the deceased and the claimant beginning. "We have no idea what James' state of mind was, perhaps he didn't realise he wasn't divorced. "Margaret's assertion is that she believed the deceased to be unmarried and already divorced when she married him in good faith." Dinsdale has made a claim for "reasonable provision" from James' estate under the 1975 Inheritance Act, amounting to at least half of his £1.8million. The bid has been brought against both Fowell and James' 28-year-old son William. Mr Davey said James and Dinsdale had a "loving relationship" and that she looked after him "24 hours a day" after he was diagnosed with cancer. He added: "She and James had a relatively lavish lifestyle, which was funded by his wealth and she was entirely financially dependent on the deceased," he said. "Dr Fowell and William Dinsdale were not being financially maintained by the deceased at the time of his death." The court heard Dinsdale has already reportedly received £375,000 "from the estate or in sums derived from James" but her lawyer claims the amount is £20,000. High Court judge Master James Brightwell allocated the cash-strapped second wife £50,000 from the estate to help cover her bills and contribute towards hefty lawyers' bills as the case progresses. He directed there should now be a future hearing focusing on how James' estate should be divided up between his two wives and son. Under the Inheritance Act, payouts to those treated as a spouse or civil partner are higher than to unmarried partners of a deceased person. 4
Daily Mail
07-08-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Two wives battle it out over dead British accountant's £1.8m fortune after he married them BOTH in Las Vegas wedding chapels five years apart without getting divorced
Two wives are locked in a bitter inheritance battle over the £1.8million fortune of a bigamist accountant who married them both in Las Vegas five years apart without getting a divorce. Wealthy James Dinsdale died of cancer, aged 55, in October 2020, leaving his vast estate to be fought over by his two spouses. After his death, his most recent partner, beautician Margaret Dinsdale, 41, began sorting out his affairs on the assumption she would inherit his fortune as his next of kin. But she was left reeling when she discovered James was still legally married to his first wife after he whisked Ms Dinsdale off for a Las Vegas wedding in 2017 - making their marriage 'void' and leaving her with no automatic right to inherit. James had married cosmetic dentist, Dr Victoria Fowell, 53, in 2012 at a Vegas wedding chapel on the same street and only 1,960ft from where he wed Margaret five years later, but never got round to divorcing her - making her James' heir alongside his adult son under intestacy laws. However, the two women are now locked in a brutal High Court clash after Ms Dinsdale launched a claim to a share of James' money on the basis she should be treated as a 'spouse' because she married him in 'good faith.' In a short preliminary hearing, High Court Judge James Brightwell heard Second World War history expert Mr Dinsdale built a thriving property development empire, based around central London, before he died. He wed Dr Fowell - a St Albans-based dentist with an expertise in 'cosmetic smile makeovers' - in 2012, but the pair never got divorced and he went on to marry Ms Dinsdale in 2017. Margaret's barrister Jonathan Davey KC said his client and James met in 2008 and become friends, before beginning a 'romantic relationship' in 2014, setting up home together the following year. However, she had no idea whatsoever he was still married, only learning of it after his death. And because he had not made a will, James' money would be divided between Dr Fowell and his son, William Dinsdale, 28. 'Margaret believed she was validly married to James Dinsdale and there is no evidence she knew the deceased was married to Dr Fowell as of 2017,' he said. 'She understood the marriage between the deceased and Dr Fowell to have ended some time prior to the relationship between the deceased and the claimant beginning. 'We have no idea what James' state of mind was, perhaps he didn't realise he wasn't divorced. 'Margaret's assertion is that she believed the deceased to be unmarried and already divorced when she married him in good faith.' Touching on their 2017 wedding in Las Vegas, he added: 'The ceremony which took place between James and my client took place in almost the same location, and appears to have been of the same nature, as the earlier ceremony which took place between the deceased and Victoria Fowell in June 2012. 'The marriage ceremony between him and Dr Fowell took place in the Little White Wedding Chapel, Las Vegas Boulevard. The marriage ceremony between James and Margaret took place in the Chapel of the Flowers, Las Vegas Boulevard. 'But for the deceased's prior marriage to Dr Fowell, the latter ceremony would have been a valid marriage ceremony.' The case reached court for a preliminary hearing after Margaret made a claim for 'reasonable provision' from James' estate under the 1975 Inheritance Act, amounting to at least half of his £1.8m. The case is being brought against Dr Fowell and James' adult son William, who are currently due to share his fortune as his next of kin under intestacy rules. Mr Davey said Margaret had looked after James '24 hours per day' during his final struggles with terminal cancer and was his 'primary carer.' 'The evidence of his close friends is that James and Margaret had a loving relationship, and that he was very grateful for her care,' he told the judge. He said the couple had been together for six years and planned to have children, with Margaret giving up work and becoming a housewife while he provided for her. 'She and James had a relatively lavish lifestyle, which was funded by his wealth and she was entirely financially dependent on the deceased,' he said. 'Dr Fowell and William Dinsdale were not being financially maintained by the deceased at the time of his death.' There was no evidence of 'financial need' on the part of Dr Fowell, claimed Mr Davey, highlighting claims by Margaret that James once told her he had transferred to her a property and a £2m lump sum after their relationship ended. The court heard it is alleged that Ms Dinsdale has already received £375,000 'from the estate or in sums derived from James,' but Mr Davey said that is denied and she has only received £20,000 from his pension. After a brief court hearing in which he was told it was 'not disputed' that Ms Dinsdale should be considered a 'spouse' under the 1975 Act, Judge Brightwell made a declaration to that effect for the purposes of her claim against the estate. He directed there should now be a future hearing focusing on how James' estate should be divided up between his two wives and son. Under the Inheritance Act, payouts to those treated as a spouse or civil partner are higher than to unmarried partners of a deceased person. The judge also allocated cash-strapped Ms Dinsdale £50,000 from the estate to help cover her bills and contribute towards hefty lawyers' bills as the case progresses - with the projected costs on her side estimated at around £175,000.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- Yahoo
One Husband. Three Wives with No Idea About Each Other — Until It All Came Crashing Down
A Florida wife made one discovery — and her husband's triple life fell apartNEED TO KNOW A Florida man was sentenced on July 31 after pleading guilty to a felony bigamy charge in May Henry Betsey Jr. married three women in the span of two years in different counties across Florida His wives all confronted him in court last week before he was sentencedA Florida man who said 'I do' not one, but two too many times has been sentenced for his felony bigamy conviction. Henry Betsey Jr. was sentenced to two years probation on July 31 after being convicted of being married to three separate women at the same time, ABC Action News and WKRC reported. The Deccan Herald reported that none of the women were aware Betsey was married to any of the other women, and that he married the women in separate counties, helping him avoid detection from the state as well. Betsey, 50, pleaded guilty to the felony bigamy charge in May, according to ABC Action News. The outlet reported that he attended that court hearing with a new girlfriend by his side — but at his sentencing, he was along when he was confronted by all three women he'd married. 'He sold the perfect person, when in reality, he was none of those things,' said wife Tonya Betsey, who unraveled her husband's deceptive plot when she began searching his name in county databases across the state, revealing he was still married to two other women: Michele Betsey and Brandy Betsey. 'She found me and she messaged me, and I had no idea that she was actually still married to him,' Michele told ABC Action News earlier this year. At the sentencing, the wives all said they met Betsey on dating websites and married him at their local courthouses. 'He said all the right things,' Brandy told the court. According to the Deccan Herald, Betsey's dating profile read: 'Looking for a beautiful woman who understands the ups and downs of life, is trustworthy and no games." But the women told the court last week that Betsey's own games began in November 2020 when he first married Tanya after meeting her on Tinder. Betsey then married Brandy in February 2022 after they met on Stir, and then tied a third knot with Michele in November 2022, three weeks after they met on according to WKRC. The three women told the court they believed Betsey married them to gain access to their finances. Betsey reportedly apologized to the three women and their families, as well as his, at his sentencing, ABC Action News reported. 'I want to apologize to the ladies and I want to apologize to the court administration and to my family and friends that had to be involved in this, because ultimately this is something that I didn't wish to be part of,' the three-time husband told the court. The judge sentenced him to two years probation, meaning Betsey avoids jail time but is still logged as a convicted felon. Betsey's wives didn't buy his apology. 'I'm sure that it was only said because it was recommended by his attorney to say,' Tonya told ABC Action News in an email after her husband's sentencing. 'Do I think he has any remorse? Absolutely not.' Hernando County inmate records reviewed by PEOPLE showed Betsey was released from custody on July 31 after his sentencing. ABC Action News reported that Judge Merritt ordered Betsey to stay off social media and not have contact with his three wives. Read the original article on People Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mail
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Man caught having three marriages at the same time faces the music as scorned wives slam his triple life
A Florida man avoided jail time after being caught scamming three women by marrying them at the same time in an elaborate scheme. Henry Betsey Jr, 50, was found guilty of bigamy last week after three heartbroken women came forward when they discovered they were all married to the lothario without their knowledge. Henry married his first wife, Tonya, in Duval County in November 2020. They wed at a courthouse in Jacksonville after meeting on Tinder. Two years later, Henry married Brandi at the Manatee County Courthouse after meeting on another dating app for single parents called Stir. That same year, Henry tied the knot for the third time with Michele after meeting on the dating website, Michele confessed to local ABC affiliate, WFTS, that she fell head over heels for the 50-year-old and unwittingly found herself at the Hernando County courthouse just three short weeks after meeting him. But Henry's triple life unraveled when Tonya said she began to search for her husband's name in county court records and found his marriage licenses to two other women. 'I just started county by county, putting in his name. And that's when I came up with the marriage to Michele and the marriage to Brandi,' she recalled to WFTS. As Henry stood in court to receive his sentence of two-years' probation and 100 hours' community service, his new girlfriend, who has not been identified, stood by him from the courthouse audience. Micha Everett shared a video on Instagram claiming that she dated Henry in 2019 and sent love to the three women he scammed into marrying him Henry's wives admitted that they fell into his trap after he sought out 'single, recently divorced women.' Michele admitted that she had 'no idea' Henry had two other wives when she received Tonya's message. The women recalled Henry portrayed himself as a charming man and never led on that he was in other marriages. Tonya said that Henry seemed like 'the perfect person, when in reality he was none of those things.' When his scheme came to light last year, Henry was arrested for bigamy. This week, Judge Daniel Merritt sentenced him to two years' probation and 100 hours of community service. Michele slammed Henry at his hearing, telling the court, 'I am unfortunately still the wife of the defendant. 'I am not here today just as a woman betrayed by someone I once trusted, but I am also speaking on behalf of the other women involved.' Michele told reporters after the sentencing that although she was hoping for jail time, she found solace that Henry was now a convicted felon. She added that she didn't believe he felt remorse for the pain he inflicted on his three wives. The three women he married were single, divorced moms living in different Florida counties. The women decided to remain anonymous as they came forward The women accused Henry of using them for money, with each wife recalling his desperate attempts to get their cash. Michele said Henry was seeking 'the extra perks of marrying a newly single, divorced woman.' Tonya added that all three women were either newly divorced or about to be divorced when they met Henry. Brandi recalled that Henry pushed her to add him onto her bank account the day they got married. The women accused Florida regulations for letting it slip that Henry was married to all three of them at the same time. 'There are no safeguards, and I feel like that's part of where the system failed,' Michele said. Henry pleaded guilty to the felony charge in May, and a judge revoked his bond after he was arrested in Virginia for assault and battery of a family or household member. He attended his sentencing hearing with his new girlfriend, who wasn't identified by his side. Henry declined to comment when approached by reporters outside the courthouse, but issued an apology during the hearing. 'First and foremost, I want to apologize to the ladies and I want to apologize to the court administration and to my family and friends that had to be involved in this. Because ultimately this is something that I didn't wish to be part of,' he said. Michele and Tonya told WFTS that they filed petitions for protection against domestic violence against Henry. Henry and Tonya's marriage ended in divorce after his arrest, while his marriages with Brandi and Michele were filed for annulment. Since his story went viral, another woman has spoken out on social media attesting to Henry's disturbing patterns. Micha Everett shared a video on Instagram claiming that she dated Henry in 2019. She said the first few months of their relationship was 'absolute bliss.' She said Henry was living on his own at the time in Tallahassee, but he went by the name 'Dell Betts.' Micha shared that after two months she could tell that 'someone else came into the picture.' She said he started acting inconsistently and in one instance 'terrified' her by speeding on the highway. Betsey began his probation last Thursday. He was also ordered to stay off social media and is not allowed to contact the three women.
Daily Mail
08-06-2025
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Adolf Hitler's bigamist brother's womanising legacy in Britain revealed... and the UK street that is horrified at becoming a Nazi shrine
The half-brother of Adolf Hitler bigamously married another woman after walking out on his Irish wife in their Merseyside home… before it was blown to pieces by the Luftwaffe. The evil Nazi dictator's family links to Liverpool and unverified claims that the Fuhrer himself once lodged with his relatives in the city before World War One have long been known. Your browser does not support iframes.
