Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - A self-proclaimed influencer who dubbed himself “Cheshire’s very own Kardashian” has been jailed after scamming victims out of over £200,000 in a fake designer handbag scheme.
26-year-old Jack Watkin, a former Rich Kids of Instagram
star, lived a luxury lifestyle funded by fraud — staying in expensive hotels,
buying designer clothes, and posing online as a wealthy socialite.
But behind the flashy Instagram posts was a web of deceit.
According to police reports, Watkin tricked individuals and
businesses into investing in Hermès handbags — claiming he had inside contacts
who could get the luxury items for resale at huge profits.
Victims sent him thousands of pounds, believing it was a
smart investment. Instead, Watkin used the money to fund his own lavish
spending, including paying off a Dorchester Hotel bill in London.
When the handbags and profits never appeared, victims began
demanding refunds — but Watkin always had excuses.
After one victim reported him to the police, an
investigation by Cheshire Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit revealed multiple
victims and extensive fraudulent transactions, BBC reported.
Officers also uncovered something even more disturbing —
hundreds of indecent images of children on Watkin’s phones.
During his first arrest in March 2024, over 1,000 indecent
images were found. More were later discovered after a second arrest in October
2024.
Detective Constable Gareth Yates described Watkin as “a man
who deluded himself into thinking he was a rich influencer, when in reality he
was funding his lifestyle through deceit and sickening behaviour.”
Watkin pleaded guilty to fraud, theft, and possession of
indecent images, and was sentenced to six years in prison at Chester Crown
Court.
He will also spend 10 years on the sex offenders’ register
and is subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
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