Joseph Gibson, 35, who pretended to be a special forces soldier turned multi-millionaire cancer sufferer, has been sentenced to three years and two months behind bars. He falsely claimed he had served in the Special Boat Service, possessed luxury yachts and motors, and was worth £400 million. He pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud, involving three women and one man, whom he swindled out of £68,000 between July 2020 and October 2021.
Failed Compensation Bid and Sentencing
Gibson had previously requested a judge at Bristol Crown Court to postpone sentencing in his case, alleging he had £40,000 in savings to compensate his victims after working in the engineering sector in the UK, Bulgaria and Dubai. On Thursday, Gibson confessed he had been unable to gather the amount and could only offer £15,000 until additional funds became available. He informed Recorder Jaron Crooknorth that he could set aside £5,000 per month for compensation and requested his sentence be postponed for a further nine months to fully reimburse his victims.
Nevertheless, the judge rejected that application and instead sentenced Gibson to three years and two months. The judge also commanded the commencement of proceedings to reclaim money obtained through his fraud.
Judge's Remarks on Deception
"Joseph Gibson, you are simply a fraudster," the judge told him. "It has taken years for you to admit that. Pity those who have had the misfortune to have you come into their lives, prey on their affections, steal their money, steal their goals and fracture their relationships." The judge noted that Gibson had previously been of good character and had admitted his offences, albeit shortly before his trial was due to commence. However, he added that the defendant would receive "very little" reduction in his sentence for remorse. "You are sorry for the position you have found yourself in," the judge stated. "You have tried to persuade this court that you have more money than you have. You have not shown evidence of that money to me. You have sought to deceive this court into believing that you had it."
Victims and Impact
The court heard how Gibson had met two of his victims on Tinder, convincing one of them they were in a relationship. He showed them images of grand houses, claiming he was considering purchasing them. Gibson told his victims that he had cancer, had served in the Special Boat Service, and had been injured by an improvised explosive device (IED) – with the judge dismissing these claims as "total fantasy".
His first victim, a businesswoman based in Devon, lost over £5,200 after falling for his lies and giving him money to buy stock for her retail business. In August 2020, Gibson told the woman – whom he had met on Tinder – that he had cancer and even sent her a photograph of himself supposedly in a hospital bed. By the end of his fraudulent scheme, the woman had just 93p left in her bank account.
The judge described Gibson's second victim as "another Tinder trap", where he styled himself on Mr Grey from the Fifty Shades Of Grey film. Gibson discovered the woman possessed £10,000 in savings and persuaded her to transfer it to him for investment purposes, insisting he could transform it into £150,000. In 2021, the woman secured a £4,000 loan after Gibson insisted he desperately required funds for private cancer treatment. She was subsequently compelled to enter an individual voluntary arrangement to handle her debts. "She is broken and exhausted," the judge told Gibson. "She has lost all confidence and trust."
The third victim was a relative of the second victim, and secured loans to invest in Gibson's fraudulent investment schemes. In total, she lost more than £18,000. "She begged for her money back," the judge told Gibson. Gibson's final victim was a retired superyacht captain, whom the defendant told he had acquired a £7 million yacht after selling a weapons programme to the US government for £400 million. The man described how he was moved to tears while writing his victim personal statement, outlining the impact of Gibson's crimes upon him. "His dream of travelling around the world with his wife has gone," the judge said.
Gibson, of Ruthin, Denbighshire, appeared to be trembling throughout the court hearing. He will next appear for a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act, to recover his assets to repay his victims, in March.
