A British fraudster who spent decades living under false identities as a doctor, priest, and charity boss has been found living in a German care home, 22 years after he fled the UK on the eve of his trial.
A Lifetime of Deception Unravelled
Kenner Elias Jones, 75, originally from North Wales, carved out a reputation as one of the world's most infamous con artists. His audacious scams spanned five decades and multiple continents, from Europe and North America to Africa. Known as 'Con Jones', his moment of bizarre public glory came in 1969 when he reportedly talked his way into carrying the cross and singing at the investiture ceremony for Prince Charles at Caernarfon Castle.
His life of crime involved a string of prison sentences in the UK, Canada, and the US for offences including fraud, theft, and forgery. He repeatedly reinvented himself, charming and manipulating his way into new lives. Jones even convinced fellow inmates that his ex-wife had died in a helicopter crash. A former US investigator labelled him 'the best conman' he had ever encountered.
Reunion After Four Decades
Now, a new documentary titled 'Con Jones: The World's Best Conman?' has tracked him down. The programme, airing on S4C from 9pm tonight and available on BBC iPlayer, features an emotional audio recording of Jones reuniting with his first wife, Donna Lee Mackenzie, after 40 years apart.
The pair met in Llandudno in 1979, married in 1982, and lived in Buckinghamshire and Vancouver before their relationship collapsed. Ms Mackenzie discovered he had drained her savings and used her empty Canadian bank account to write fake cheques. She later learned he had also taken money from her extended family by falsely claiming she was dying.
In the recorded conversation from the German care home, where cameras were not permitted, Jones tells her: 'If I could relive my life… I don't want to go back. What's done is done. I'm sorry it happened.' When Ms Mackenzie offers to return a fountain pen she kept after their split, he insists she keeps it, stating, 'I am not going anywhere after this.'
A Global Trail of Fraud
Jones's deceptions were vast and varied. After fleeing his 2003 fraud trial at Lewes Crown Court, he was traced to Portugal and Africa. He posed as a doctor in Kenya for seven years without any qualifications and even established a charity called Luke's Fund. He also lived as a priest within a Christian community in Kenya.
His previous convictions include a jail sentence at the Old Bailey in 1975 for theft and forgery, 15 months in 1980 for obtaining money by deception, and an 18-month sentence in 1996 for deception and fraud. Producer Marc Edwards, who spent 30 years following Jones's story, describes him as a captivating character who could make anyone feel like the most important person in the room.
Ms Mackenzie wrote a book in 2017 in an attempt to find him, which ultimately contributed to the documentary's successful search. 'Con Jones: The World's Best Conman?' airs on S4C at 9pm tonight and tomorrow, and is available on S4C Clic and BBC iPlayer from today.
