Man who calls himself ‘Kardashian of Cheshire’ pleads guilty to £200k handbag fraud scam

A man who refers to himself as Cheshire’s very-own Kardashian has pleaded guilty to fraud and theft.

Cheshire Police explained how Jack Watkin, formerly of Wilmslow Road, in the affluent Cheshire suburb of Alderley Edge, funded his fantasy Instagram influencer lifestyle by defrauding businesses and individuals to a total value of more than £200,000.

The 26-year-old appeared at Chester Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday 24 June), where he pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud by false representation.

The court heard how Watkin used the lure of well-known designer handbag brand, Hermes, as a ruse to trick people into giving him the money he needed to afford his extravagant lifestyle, as these sought-after handbags can’t be purchased over the counter, and instead, shoppers must be specially invited to buy one.

This therefore makes Hermes bags a lucrative investment, as the resale value of them can be much higher than the original price.

The victims were told by Watkin that he had the contacts that could give them access to the handbags and that they could split the profits made on resale, so they proceeded to hand over their money in good faith.

But when no bag or sign of any money from the investment opportunity showed itself, they would begin to ask for their money back… and it was at this point they encountered his excuses.

A police investigation was launched after one victim contacted the Metropolitan Police back in 2022 when she became suspicious of Watkin’s continued excuses, and the case was subsequently referred to Cheshire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit.

Their enquiries unearthed a string of victims and a ‘breathtaking’ amount of luxury goods and hotel bills, all of which Watkin afforded by ‘swindling’ his six victims.

During the investigation, detectives also found indecent images on his mobile phone, which he has already been found guilty of at a previous hearing.

“Watkin deluded himself that he was a successful rich kid influencer,” explained Detective Constable Gareth Yates, of Cheshire Constabulary ECU.

“But in reality, he was stealing money from wealthy individuals under the guise of ‘business opportunities’ to fund his expensive habit of fast cars, luxury goods, and designer footwear and clothing.

“It was never going to end well, and his downfall was inevitable.

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“Eventually his lies caught up with him and he is now facing the consequences of his deceit, and his perversions.”

Watkin has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced for the fraud and indecent images offences on Wednesday 3 September at Chester Crown Court.

Featured Image – Cheshire Police