Man Who Posed as 'Kardashian of Cheshire' Admits Luxury Handbag Scam

A man named Jack Watkin, 26, who portrayed a lavish lifestyle while deceiving people in a designer handbag scam, has admitted to fraud. He was once featured in a Channel 4 documentary titled Rich Kids of Instagram in 2016 and referred to himself as the 'Kardashian of Cheshire', according to the police.

Watkin convinced individuals to invest significant amounts of money, supposedly for buying and selling luxury handbags, but instead, he spent the funds at Harrods and The Dorchester hotel in London. He maintained a facade of a glamorous lifestyle to gain his victims' trust.

During his trial at Chester Crown Court, Watkin pleaded guilty to six counts of fraud. He misled people into lending him money for promised financial returns or luxury items, none of which materialized. Despite making excuses and avoiding the complainants, he continued to spend large sums on his extravagant lifestyle.

Victims included his friend Hannah Jakes, defrauded of £98,500, Christine Colbert of Dress Cheshire, defrauded of £43,800, and his father, Jason Watkin, defrauded of £24,500. Watkin also defrauded others, including a barman at Harrods, Andor Farkas, and James Irlam, by falsely claiming connections with Hermes for sourcing handbags.

Watkin was known for his ostentatious social media presence, portraying a life of luxury on Instagram to attract followers and perpetrate his fraudulent activities. He was likened to the 'Kardashian of Cheshire' for his supposed wealth and ability to acquire expensive items.

Watkin has been remanded in custody and is set to be sentenced on 3 September, facing the possibility of a prison term as warned by Judge Simon Berkson.