A fraudster who described himself as the “Kardashian of Cheshire” persuaded people to invest thousands of pounds in luxury handbags that failed to materialise by flaunting his luxury lifestyle on social media.
Jack Watkin, 26, of Alderley Edge, had gone on trial at Chester crown court on Monday, but on Tuesday – the second day of the trial – he changed his plea to guilty.
Watkin admitted six counts of fraud, and the indictment was amended to change the values of the frauds. The prosecution invited the court to lay on file a further count of fraud and two counts of theft.
Previously, the jury had heard that Watkin had gained his victims’ trust by putting forward an “outward facade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle”, before leaving them “out of pocket for large sums of money”.
After the defendant changed his plea to guilty, the judge Simon Berkson told the jury: “In short, that ends this case.”
Opening the trial on Monday, the prosecutor Matthew Kerruish-Jones had said: “The defendant put forward the outward facade of a glamorous and luxurious lifestyle.
“This, it seems, engendered trust and led a number of individuals to loan him large sums of money on the promise of either a financial return or luxury items. Neither of which materialised.”
He said complainants would be left “out of pocket for large sums of money”.
“The defendant would make excuses and avoid the complainants,” he added, “all the while spending large sums of money on maintaining his seemingly lavish lifestyle.”
According to police, Watkin spent cash at Harrods and on stays at the five-star Dorchester hotel in London.
In 2016 Watkin was featured in the Channel 4 documentary Rich Kids of Instagram. “I know my life is different to other teenagers because I’m very blessed,” he said at the time. “I don’t have to worry about jobs and I have unlimited funds.”
The jury was told bag purchases from Hermès were only allowed to select registered customers and, because of their exclusivity, the bags often attracted a value far in excess of their original price when they were resold.
“Jack Watkin is a male who has built a lifestyle on social media, on Instagram, and that lifestyle is one of exuberance,” DC Gareth Yates said.
“So if anyone was to look at that profile, you would see fancy hotels, luxury cars, designer clothing. And he created a following, and that following allowed him to create a ruse to be the fraudster we now know, and convicted fraudster.”
Watkin, who was remanded in custody, was also convicted earlier this year of nine offences related to indecent images.
He will be sentenced for all offences on 3 September.