Man who lied about cancer diagnosis and defrauded victims of £68k jailed
A man who lied to his victims and told them he was a millionaire ex-war veteran with cancer has been jailed.
Joseph Gibson, aged 35 of no fixed address, appeared at Bristol Crown Court on Thursday (20 August) after pleading guilty to four counts of fraud by false representation.
Gibson, who lived in Shepton Mallet at the time of the offences, admitted taking almost £68,000 from his four victims by creating false personas, gaining their trust and then using a series of lies to obtain their money.
Among the personas he adopted were those of a wealthy businessman, entrepreneur, military veteran, doctor undergoing cancer treatment, air ambulance pilot and cancer patient.
The court heard how Gibson used the money he received through these lies to fund a fake lavish lifestyle.
He falsified documents and showed his victims pictures of houses, cars and boats that he ‘owned’ and, on some occasions, he went as far as to sign purchase agreements for a mansion, a sports car and even a yacht worth almost £6million.
In reality, he owned none of these assets and, as far as investigators could establish, had no regular legitimate income entering his bank accounts.
Read how the case unfolded through the words of Gibson’s victims:
‘Trapped in a vicious cycle’ – Businesswoman
The case first came to police attention in 2021, when Gibson’s first victim, 31-year-old Zoe from Exeter, contacted police raising concerns about being defrauded.
Zoe met Gibson on Instagram during lockdown, where he stated he was a millionaire businessman who could help her to get stock for her business. She gave him £5,654.95 to purchase the stock on her behalf.
The alarm bells started ringing for Zoe when she wasn’t seeing stock arriving and Gibson would ask for a ‘bit more money’ and reassure her the ‘stock was on the way’.
Zoe said Gibson repeatedly pressured her to place further orders for stock to meet a so-called ‘minimum order requirement’ and she got caught in a ‘vicious cycle’.
When questioned about the missing stock, Gibson would lie to Zoe and tell her she had missed the delivery slot and only he could contact the delivery company to release the shipment.
Zoe said: “Every time I would bring up the business, he would say he would be too poorly and couldn’t be released from hospital – I was stuck in a vicious cycle with no way out.
“My goal became to get him out of hospital and to just ‘cover today’ which never ended. In my head I thought if I got him out of hospital, I would get my stock or get my money back then I could cut ties.
“I constantly asked myself whether I stay and lose more or walk away and lose it all. There was no way out.
“But I empathised with him. How do you ask someone if they are lying about having cancer? I think, looking back, he targeted me because when you’re an honest person, they pull at your emotions and weaknesses and he knew I was a caring person.
“There were several times when I felt like I couldn’t cope anymore. I felt like I had to continue and that I was all he had. Because he was going through worse than me, he was the one fighting cancer and he didn’t have anyone else around him. In my eyes, I was his only support and I had to put him first.
“His actions pushed me into a really bad place, and I felt all the responsibility. I was trapped and hit rock bottom. I had no money as he had drained it all, I had nothing left.”
It was only when Zoe was contacted by someone claiming to know Gibson that she finally realised the truth. Zoe reported it to the police and it was at that point the full extent of Gibson’s offending unfolded.
Designated Investigations Officer Jenny Williams, from the Complex Fraud Team, conducted a lengthy investigation into Gibson’s crimes, reviewing bank statements which showed multiple deposits from different people but no evidence of any regular legitimate income.
Zoe added: “I was so confused. I had been lied to for so long and didn’t know who or what to believe, but it gave me the chance to step back and stop it. I felt sick to my stomach when I realised what had happened, but there was also relief in finally knowing the truth and being able to cut ties.
“Even though it was the most horrendous thing, it was the finality of being able to break free from it. It was a mixture of emotions. I was not tied down anymore but it has hung over my head for the past six years, all day, every day, it has been there.”
‘I lost the person I once was’ – Romance fraud victim
Armed with the bank account details to trace the other victims, DIO Williams contacted other victims and began to build the case before arresting him and putting the offences to him.
Gibson’s second victim met the defendant on Tinder where he pretended he was a millionaire businessman who was suffering with terminal cancer.
During their relationship, she transferred more than £30,000 to him, with £10,000 earmarked to go towards investments. Gibson had promised his victim, who was saving to buy a house, that he could turn her investment into more than £100,000.
Every time a deadline for repayment came around, Gibson would lie to her and say his cancer had returned and he needed further treatment.
It was only when she was contacted by another person that she realised what had happened to her and she cut ties with Gibson and reported it to police.
In an interview, the victim said: “When we first met and started dating, he appeared to be honest. He came across as funny, talkative and trustworthy. I hadn’t long come out of a healthy seven-year-long relationship, so I took what he was telling me at face value.
“He started asking for my help financially very early in our relationship. He would say he was in the hospital and didn’t have any clothes because he had been rushed in, so wanted me to buy him clothes and get them delivered.
“He would send photos and videos of himself in hospital. I would hear nurses in the background and would think it was legitimate and it seemed to add up.
“It started with clothes, then he went on to show me his trading portfolio and how much he was allegedly making. I was saving for a house, and he said he could turn those savings into something much more and it just escalated from there.”
Despite having doubts about Gibson, it was when an ex-girlfriend contacted the victim that she realised something wasn’t right and called the police to report what was happening.
She continued: “Everything was a massive shock and my world was turned upside down. The person he had met, he killed, because I have never been that person again.
“When I first met him, I was naïve. You hear about these bad men, but you never think it is going to happen to you.
“I am already sceptical of other men and I don’t trust anyone. I don’t think I ever will.”
The victim described fraud like a ‘leaking tap’, where you don’t initially think it is a scam.
She added: “When you are being abused, whether it is financially or physically, they don’t start off a nasty person. They love bomb, they want to be your best friend, they appear to be the nicest person. Then when they have their claws into you, it is too late.
“The lies, the manipulation, making you think you’re crazy, it is all because they want to keep that control over you.
“I think people automatically assume you see their true colours straight away, but it doesn’t work like that, otherwise they wouldn’t get what they wanted.”
The victim accumulated so much debt through the relationship that she was forced to compile the debts in an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). Now she says she isn’t able to buy a house or get a credit card.
She said: “I was in a position to go onto the property ladder, but he took it all. Everything I was earning went to him. There were days where I didn’t eat.”
‘He is a danger to society’ – Retired super yacht captain
Gibson’s fourth victim was also intrigued by the defendant’s tales of investing and how he made his ‘millions’. The victim gave his life savings to Gibson to invest and took a further loan out. They have been left almost £20,000 in debt as a result.
The fourth victim was a retired super yacht captain who he met by chance socially. Gibson formed a good friendship with his victim over 14 months, once again painting the picture of owning businesses, yachts and cars worth millions of pounds, all while ‘battling terminal cancer’.
Gibson convinced his victim to join him on a trip to Corfu to inspect a new yacht he ‘planned to buy’ worth £5.9 million.
In the victim’s presence, Gibson signed a document declaring his intention to purchase the yacht, but when he failed to pay the deposit because his ‘cancer had returned’, the victim gave £25,300 from his life savings to Gibson to invest and also took out a further loan.
He was only aware he had been defrauded when he was contacted by the officer in the case.
In his personal statement, read out in court, the victim shared how he had been forced back to full-time employment and his dream of sailing around the world had been ‘stuffed.
He added: “If you ever meet Joe Gibson, he is a charming man. Very interesting, well-educated, knowledgeable, polite and funny. He is opinionated and holds a good conversation. He cares about his appearance and all-in-all, he is a very likeable person.
“Joe is, as I see it, a psychopathic con artist who would not stop at any length to take money form the public and ruin people’s lives. He is a danger to society.”
DIO Williams said: “In this case, not only did he deceive his victim and take his life savings, but he also exploited the trust of the yacht brokerage involved. In an effort to secure the sale, the company flew Gibson to Corfu and provided him with a luxury stay, all at significant financial cost to themselves.”
Gibson’s third victim met him through another victim and heard about his lifestyle and his investment success. She gave him savings and took out a loan for him to invest on their behalf. But after his deceit came to light, it was too late for the victim and she found herself in more than £18,000 in debt.
‘A manipulative individual’
Gibson was charged with a further two offences of fraud by false representation, but these two cases were dismissed when Gibson’s four guilty pleas were accepted.
At the sentencing hearing, Gibson was given three years and two months in prison. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing will be held in March next year.
Following his arrest in London, during interview DIO Williams described Gibson as a ‘meek’ and ‘mild’ man. In his initial interviews he maintained his innocence. However, in later interviews he began providing ‘no comment’ responses or prepared statements through his solicitors.
Designated Investigations Officer Jenny Williams, from the Complex Fraud Team, said: “During interview, he was quiet, polite and mild-mannered. In those moments, you could see the carefully crafted persona he presented to those he deceived. Behind that, however, was a confident and manipulative individual who built an extensive web of lies for his own personal gain.
“Although fraud is not always associated with physical violence, its impact on victims can be profound and long-lasting. Gibson’s victims have been left with significant debt, a loss of trust and the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.
“Falsely claiming to be an entrepreneur, millionaire or even an air ambulance pilot is one thing, but among the identities he adopted were those of a wounded military veteran and a cancer patient. These were deeply personal and particularly reprehensible lies designed to gain sympathy and trust.
“His deception left victims questioning what, if anything, about him was genuine. For many, this created an immense emotional burden, leaving them confused, conflicted and struggling to come to terms with the extent of his dishonesty.
“Even when challenged, he continued to fabricate new lies to conceal the truth. In some cases, his manipulation left victims feeling isolated and unable to discuss what they were experiencing with others.
“I hope that by sharing the details of Gibson’s offending, we can raise awareness of the devastating impact of fraud, support those who may have had similar experiences, and make it far more difficult for him to deceive others in the future.
“I also want to recognise the courage and resilience shown by the victims throughout this lengthy investigation. It has taken several years to reach this point, but they have remained engaged and supported the investigation every step of the way. By sharing their experiences so openly, they are helping others to understand the realities of fraud and encouraging anyone affected to come forward and seek support.”
All fraud should be reported to Report Fraud online or by calling 0300 123 2040.
Call 999 if the crime is happening right now, the offender is at the scene or nearby or if there is an immediate risk of harm.
If you think you have been a victim of fraud, even if it was unsuccessful, you should report it. If you do not report it, the fraudster will learn by this experience and may be successful next time.
Criminals target people online, on their phones, and in their homes, often emotionally tricking victims in an attempt to steal their money or personal data.
By taking a moment to spot the signs whenever you are approached, you can help to protect yourself and others from scams.
Visit our Protect against scams and fraud | Avon and Somerset Police website page for more information and to find out more about the different types of fraud.
For information about online crime prevention, read keeping yourself safe online. You could also see the Stop! Think Fraud campaign for useful advice on how to stay safe from scams.