A serial fraudster who used dating apps to weave a complex web of lies, including faking terminal cancer, has been convicted of a horrifying campaign of abuse against 17 women.
Ryan McVeigh, 31, pleaded guilty at Glasgow's High Court to 38 charges, including rape and multiple counts of fraud, for offences committed in 2023 and 2024. The judge, Lady Drummond, described the scale of his deception as "staggering."
A Calculated Campaign of Deceit
McVeigh's method involved targeting vulnerable women on platforms like Tinder and Bumble, often those who had recently escaped abusive relationships or faced financial hardship. He used false names, including Gary Stephenson and Reece Fletcher, to build online relationships.
Prosecutor Michael Macintosh detailed how McVeigh would gain his victims' trust before moving to exploit them financially, sexually, and emotionally. He convinced two primary victims to let him live in their homes under a third alias, 'Paul Justin', a persona he used to further his control.
The first victim, who met 'Gary Stephenson' on Tinder in 2023, had her bank details used for online gambling after confiding her money troubles. McVeigh never repaid the stolen funds, instead concocting elaborate excuses for missed meetings, even claiming his sister had died by suicide.
Financial Ruin and Coercive Control
After moving into her home as 'Paul Justin', McVeigh pressured the woman into sexual acts with this fictional character, promising that 'Stephenson' would finally meet her if she complied. He also took control of her finances, plunging her into between £10,000 and £18,000 of debt.
When she threatened to go to the police, she was bombarded with warnings from 'Stephenson'. Officers later arrived at her home to find McVeigh, who insisted he was Paul Justin from South Africa.
Despite being charged in November 2023 and released on bail, McVeigh immediately targeted a second victim on Bumble in January 2024. After scamming her out of £100, he failed to meet her, claiming he was hospitalised after a car crash.
The Ultimate Sick Lie: Faking Terminal Cancer
His deception with the second woman reached grotesque new depths. While living in her spare room as 'Paul Justin', McVeigh claimed he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He enacted an elaborate charade, visiting a hospital, discussing his 'diagnosis' with a Macmillan nurse, and even touring a hospice and a funeral director's.
All the while, he bled her dry financially, convincing her that his wealthy cousin would settle her debts. She handed over approximately £20,000 and took loans from relatives, accruing total losses of around £38,000. McVeigh also poisoned her mind, falsely claiming her ex-husband and daughter were stealing from her.
Her ex-husband's concerns eventually prompted police intervention in July 2024. Officers again found McVeigh at the victim's home, still masquerading as Paul Justin.
Justice Served and a Warning to Others
The subsequent police investigation uncovered 15 other women who had been targeted by McVeigh's scams. In court, Judge Lady Drummond deferred sentencing for reports but addressed McVeigh directly.
"The scale of your deception, coercion and abuse which you inflicted is staggering," she stated. "I have received four impact statements... Those who have written describe how devastating the impact of your behaviour has had, placing them in constant fear and financial ruin."
McVeigh now awaits sentencing behind bars, finally brought to justice for his predatory exploitation of vulnerable women seeking connection online.
For further information and advice, visit www.nationaldahelpline.org.uk. For support with tech-facilitated abuse, visit www.refugetechsafety.org. For Refuge, visit www.refuge.org.uk. The free, confidential National Domestic Abuse Helpline is 0808 2000 247 and is open 24/7.
