North Wales Live
·Aug 2026
Ruthin conman claimed he was a special forces soldier turned multi-millionaire cancer patient
Joseph Gibson, a 35-year-old man from Ruthin, Denbighshire, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to three years and two months in prison after admitting four fraud offences that stole £68,000 from three women and a retired superyacht captain between July 2020 and October 2021. He falsely claimed to be a Special Boat Service veteran, a cancer patient and a multi-millionaire with luxury properties, vehicles, yachts and investment expertise. He met two victims on Tinder, persuaded them to hand over money for investments, business stock or cancer treatment, and left them facing severe debt and emotional distress. The judge rejected Gibson's request to defer sentencing so he could repay victims, criticized his attempts to exaggerate his finances and ordered proceeds-of-crime proceedings to recover assets.