Tinder predator faked terminal cancer to prey on nearly 20 women, stealing their money and abusing them
Ryan McVeigh targeted victims via dating apps and social media using a deluge of fake names, often claiming he was dying from terminal cancer. He preyed on nearly 20 women by stealing their money and abusing them. The 31-year-old has 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.
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A web of deception: fake names and online and in-person personas
Prosecutor Michael Macintosh told the hearing: 'McVeigh's offending principally involves the sexual, financial and a 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.'\n\nTwo victims in particular suffered what prosecutors described as repeated 'sexual, financial and a emotional abuse' at the hands of McVeigh.\n\nMany 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.
The first victim online: May 2023 Tinder encounter under Gary Stephenson
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. McVeigh - still known as Stephenson - became more controlling and demanded to keep tabs on the woman. 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. 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.
The Bumble victim Reece Fletcher case and a trail of promises
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'.
A wider net: 15 other victims and the sentencing hearing
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.'
