Model admits romance fraud against multiple men

A romance fraudster who conned men into spending tens of thousands of pounds to fund her expensive lifestyle has pleaded guilty to more than a dozen counts of theft and fraud.

Gemma Kingsley, a model from Beadnell in Northumberland, stole from several victims over four years.

She tricked men into relationships with her, telling them she was soon to inherit a large fortune, using that to persuade them to spend huge sums of money on her behalf, including on a wedding that never happened and deposits on a Porsche and Land Rover.

She pleaded guilty to the multiple offences at Swindon Crown Court on Wednesday, and was remanded into custody ahead of sentencing on 25 March.

Wiltshire Police launched an investigation into the 50-year-old in 2019 after it received several reports from other forces.

Kingsley was charged with six counts of theft, four counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of using a false instrument with intent that it will be accepted as genuine and one count of being in possession of an article for use in fraud.

Officers in Wiltshire investigated Kingsley after she reportedly used the bank details of her mother's friend to pay for a stay at Cromhall Farm, near Chippenham.

Detectives found that Kingsley had defrauded a man out of thousands of pounds throughout a two-year relationship that began in January 2016.

The victim spent tens of thousands of pounds on furniture for a new home, dental bills, her debts and a payment for a wedding which did not take place - on the assumption he would soon be reimbursed through a multi-million-pound inheritance.

She also used his bank cards to steal money and opened a betting account in his name, into which she put a large amount of his money, which she then lost through gambling.

After the relationship broke down January 2018, Kingsley switched her attention to another man, who she also told she was due to inherit a large sum of money.

As a result, he helped her with significant deposits on a Land Rover and a Porsche, as well as expensive hotel stays.

Kingsley's use of this man's bank cards also landed him with large debts.

She began two further brief relationships in autumn 2019, where she again repeatedly used the victims' personal and company bank cards to make purchases without them knowing.

Police also found that she committed theft and fraud against numerous other victims - including solicitor's firms, lawyers and a bank - by falsifying documents and letters.

Kingsley was later charged with various offences after being arrested twice, the second time at a property in Bristol, but failed to attend to court.

In June 2025, she was arrested on the Isle of Skye after being spotted speeding.

Det Con Melissa Pope, from Wiltshire Police, said the victims could finally move on from their "traumatic experience".

"Kingsley wove a web of lies with her victims, causing significant emotional anxiety and long-term mental and financial harm.

"She manipulated their emotions, assuring them that through her future inheritance she would be able to repay the considerable sums of money that they were spending on her behalf."

She added that Kingsley "continuously" lied abut health issues to delay the court process and denied what she had done until the last minute.

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