Tinder predator who faked terminal most cancers preyed on practically 20 ladies by stealing their cash and abusing them

A Tinder predator who claimed he was dying from terminal cancer preyed on nearly 20 women by stealing their money and abusing them.

Ryan McVeigh targeted his victims via dating apps and social media using a deluge of fake names.

Many of the women he stole money from were already vulnerable including having escaped abusive relationships, lost their job or even trying to recover from similar scams.

Two victims in particular suffered what prosecutors described as repeated ‘sexual, financial and a emotional abuse’ at the hands of McVeigh.

The 31 year-old has been brought to justice after he pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow to a total of 38 charges involving 17 different women in 2023 and 2024.

He is behind bars and will be sentenced in the New Year.

Prosecutor Michael Macintosh told the hearing: ‘McVeigh’s offending principally involves the sexual, financial and emotional abuse of two women.

‘Each was induced into believing they had formed a relationship with someone over the internet.

‘The truth was they were communicating with McVeigh using a false identity.

‘He induced them into allowing him to live in their homes under a further fake identity.

‘By a combination of his online and in-person personas, he coerced each into providing him with money and engaging in sexual activity with him under these pretences.’

The first main victim met McVeigh online in May 2023 via Tinder where he used the name Gary Stephenson.

The woman divulged to McVeigh that she had money troubles.

McVeigh – using the bogus name – offered to help and asked for her bank details to send cash.

No funds were ever received – McVeigh instead used her account to gamble online.

After confronting him, he assured her the cash would be repaid.

Mr Macintosh said the woman had still not met him yet in person.

Planned meetings were cancelled at last minute – including McVeigh claiming his sister had taken her own life.

In August 2023, McVeigh asked her to take out a loan, but she refused.

She told a friend who urged her to go to the police, but she did not do so at that time.

The court heard McVeigh – still known as Stephenson – became more controlling and demanded to keep tabs on the woman.

It was soon after he asked if a ‘friend’ called Paul Justin could stay with her.

Mr Macintosh: ‘He said she should do that for him if she really loved him. He told her he would give her money for shopping.’

McVeigh arranged for the woman to pick up Paul Justin in Glasgow however this individual turned out to be McVeigh.

McVeigh – posing as Gary Stephenson – later texted the woman to say any further contact should go through Paul Justin.

Mr Macintosh: ‘The woman recalls one occasion where she received a call from the number she knew as Gary Stephenson’s, but the person who spoke to her was Paul Justin, who then made an excuse of using a work telephone.’

The abuse turned more sinister when McVeigh – using the Stephenson identity – put pressure on her by text that he would be ‘turned on’ if she had sex with Paul Justin and filmed it.

Mr Macintosh: ‘She did not want to as she considered herself to be in a relationship with Gary Stephenson.

‘He promised that if she did this for him, he would meet her in person.

‘She told Gary Stephenson she was not comfortable with this, but she desperately wanted to meet him, so she did what she was asked to do.’

The sex video was then sent to an email address she had been given and this was repeated over a number of months – he also hounded her for further intimate clips of herself.

Mr Macintosh: ‘He continued to promise to meet her, but these arrangements were always cancelled with a variety of reasons given.’

She was further lied to that Gary Stephenson would again ‘take care of her finances’.

The advocate depute: ‘As time went on, she grew increasingly panicked about her mounting debts.’

She went on to discover letters chasing her for money that she was not aware of.

The woman soon wanted Paul Justin out of her home.

Mr Macintosh: ‘McVeigh – as Stephenson – said Justin would be staying with her until he told her otherwise.’

In November 2023, the woman began to fear she was the ‘victim of a scam’.

Days later, she told Paul Justin that she was going to go to the police, but soon after she got a string of messages from Gary Stephenson urging her not to.

The woman bravely gave a statement and when officers later turned up at her home McVeigh was there.

He stated he was Paul Justin who had been born in South Africa.

The court heard the woman has been left badly affected and believes she lost between £10,000-£18,000 at the hands of McVeigh.

McVeigh first appeared in court in November 2023 in connection with offences against this victim.

But, after being bailed, he was free to turn his attentions to his other main target.

This woman struck up on contact with McVeigh on the Bumble dating app in January 2024.

This time he was known as Reece Fletcher.

He first got her to transfer £100 and then failed to show after arranging to meet to repay her.

The woman later got a text from an unknown number that ‘Reece’ was in hospital following a car crash.

Over the next few weeks, McVeigh – using this bogus ID – claimed he was still recuperating there from his injuries.

This did not stop him pestering her for more cash.

He later asked for the woman to collect him from the hospital in Edinburgh after he claimed he was fit to leave.

However, McVeigh then messaged to say he had to go to his ‘office’ in the city’s Leith as there were ‘dodgy people’ watching him.

He insisted it was not ‘safe’ to go to his or the woman’s home.

This woman gave him a total of £20,000 during this time – she felt ‘trapped’ as he did not pay back a penny.

Prosecutor Mr Macintosh: ‘She had emptied her bank accounts, taken out credit cards and overdrafts and given him all she had.’

McVeigh – still known as Reece – later said a wealthy cousin named Paul Justin ‘would take care of the debts and pay off her mortgage’.

The conman – now posing as Paul Justin – turned up the next day.

He initially helped her buy groceries before eventually moving into her spare room.

In mid-March 2024, like the earlier victim, events turned sinister when McVeigh – this time back using the Reece ID – said he had a ‘fetish’ that she record having sex with Paul Justin.

The court heard the woman did not want to do it.

But, she was told by McVeigh’s Paul Justin that Reece would ‘go mental’ if she refused.

She had also been promised that her ‘financial situation’ would again be sorted.

The woman eventually had sex with McVeigh – believing he was Paul Justin.

She hoped it would only happened the once – but it went on to take place once a week after Reece ‘asked her to do the same thing again’.

Mr Macintosh further explained: ‘McVeigh – both as Fletcher and Justin – told an escalating series of lies, making extravagant claims about having large sums of money tied up abroad.

‘As Justin, he took her to view houses and cars. He promised to buy houses for her parents and take her on expensive holidays.’

But, the woman in the meantime had little cash and had to borrow from relatives or take out loans.

McVeigh even claimed the woman’s ex-husband and daughter may be stealing from her.

The swindler – still known as Justin – made even worse sick lies by telling the woman he had terminal cancer.

This led to her going to a hospital with him in the summer of 2024.

Mr Macintosh: ‘He discussed his purported diagnosis with a nurse working with the Macmillan Cancer charity.

‘He then attended a hospice where he discussed with a staff member a large donation he was considering.

‘He also took the woman to a funeral directors and to a cemetery all on the pretext that only had months to live.

‘The woman said the claims about his health made it more difficult for her to challenge him on things which caused concern.’

It was around this time the woman’s family became increasingly worried about her.

It was her ex-husband who was so troubled that led to police being called in.

Officers turned up at her home in late July 2024 and McVeigh was there. He again claimed to be Paul Justin.

The court was told this woman believes she was conned out of around £38,000 as well as loans she took from relatives.

She remains worried that she may lose her home as a result.

A large scale probe then uncovered 15 other women who had been preyed upon by McVeigh.

They had all been subjected to his lies, threats and intimidation despite never meeting in person.

He scammed thousands of pounds in total from these women.

Among the many charges McVeigh pled guilty to were the rape of the two main victims and multiple frauds.

Lady Drummond deferred sentencing for reports.

She told him: ‘The scale of your deception, coercion and abuse which you inflicted is staggering.

‘I have received four impact statements and I may get more.

‘Those who have written describe how devastating the impact of your behaviour has had placing them in constant fear and financial ruin.’