Love-rat fraudster duped women for over £500K

A US born fraudster cheated dozens of vulnerable women he met on dating websites out of £5,00,000 by pretending to be terminally ill, a court heard.

David Checkley, 53, who arranged blind dates on the internet, claimed he needed money for a life-saving operation to cure his Parkinson’s disease and that he had met ‘fellow sufferer’ Michael J Fox.

Checkley also posed as a US fighter pilot and told victims he had served in Vietnam — despite only being 18 when the war finished.
He also duped women into handing over money for his various business dealings as an architect and property developer, promising he would repay the cash.

Checkley even proposed marriage in a bid to get women — some of whom he forced to re-mortgage their homes to part with their money — to settle his debts.

Checkley managed to swindle more than 30 women out of at least £5,00,000 and splashed the cash on sportscars and expensive designer watches.

Don Tait, prosecuting at Bristol Crown court said that when the women tried to get their money back, Checkley would become hostile and threatening.

He pleaded guilty to eight offences of fraud at Bristol magistrates court on Wednesday and is due to be sentenced at Bristol Crown court.