A romance fraudster who conned men out of tens of thousands of pounds to fund a luxury lifestyle has pleaded guilty to multiple offences.
Model Gemma Kingsley, 50, admitted more than a dozen counts of theft and fraud at a hearing at Swindon Crown Court on Tuesday (4 February).
Over a four-year period, Kingsley deceived several men into relationships, falsely claiming she was about to inherit a substantial fortune. Prosecutors said she used those lies to persuade victims to spend large sums on her behalf, including money for a planned wedding.
Kingsley also used stolen and false bank card details to pay thousands of pounds for hotel stays and other expenses.
She pleaded guilty to six counts of theft, four counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of using a false instrument with intent, and one count of possessing an article for use in fraud.
Kingsley, of Beadnell in Northumberland, was remanded into custody and is due to be sentenced on 25 March.
The investigation began in 2019 after Wiltshire Police received a report that Kingsley had used bank details belonging to her mother’s friend to pay for accommodation at a farm near Chippenham.
As enquiries progressed, officers took on linked investigations from other forces, including romance fraud allegations dating back to 2016.
Between January 2016 and January 2018, Kingsley was in a relationship with one victim and told him she was due to receive a multi-million-pound inheritance. Police said she produced forged letters from professionals to support the claim.
As a result, the victim spent tens of thousands of pounds on furniture for a new home, dental bills, debts and wedding costs, believing he would be repaid once the inheritance was received.
Officers also found she repeatedly used his bank cards without permission and opened a betting account in his name, losing a large amount of his money through gambling.
After that relationship ended in 2018, Kingsley entered another relationship the following year. She again claimed she was about to inherit a large sum of money.
The victim paid significant deposits towards a Land Rover and a Porsche, and covered the cost of expensive hotel stays. He also built up large debts through her use of his bank cards.
In two further short relationships in autumn 2019, Kingsley used victims’ personal and company bank cards to make unauthorised purchases.
Police said she also committed fraud and theft against other victims, including solicitor’s firms, lawyers and a bank, by falsifying documents and letters.
Kingsley was first interviewed in May 2020, when she denied all offences and claimed she was a victim herself.
From January 2021, officers attempted to re-interview her but were unable to make contact. She was later traced to a property in Bristol and arrested again in August 2022, where she continued to deny the allegations.
The case file was progressed, and in March 2025 the Crown Prosecution Service authorised charges.
In May 2025, Kingsley was found to be living in a remote cottage in the Scottish Highlands and was served with a summons to attend Swindon Magistrates’ Court on 18 June. She failed to attend, claiming she did not know what she had been charged with.
A warrant was issued for her arrest and on 29 June she was detained after a car she was travelling in on the Isle of Skye was stopped by officers from Police Scotland for speeding.
Detective Constable Melissa Pope, from the Wiltshire Police Fraud team, said: “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.
“For one of the victims, an expensive wedding which had been planned, for which the victim’s relatives had booked to come from Australia, was cancelled at short notice.
“Following the launch of our investigation, Kingsley delayed the court process, denying what she had done until the final moment before a trial would be arranged.
“She lied continuously through the investigation, giving false statements and communicating various health issues as to why she shouldn’t face charges.
“I’m pleased she has finally admitted the romance fraud charges against her, as well as a number of other fraud and theft offences relating to other victims. I hope that her victims can now start to move on from this traumatic experience.
“I want to highlight that for romance fraud cases like Kingsley’s, while there are significant financial losses, it is often the emotional impact on the victims that has a more lasting impact.
“It is a huge breach of trust and self-esteem which can take years to recover from.
“If you suspect that you have been caught in a romance scam, please recognise that you are a victim and there is no need to feel ashamed or embarrassed.
“Please report it to the police or Report Fraud and keep a record of your interactions and documentation.”
