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Man defrauded women he met on online dating sites
ONLINE PREDITOR: He held himself out as a millionaire entrepreneur and impressed the ladies on Internet dating sites such as Plenty of Fish and QuestChat.com with his red-hot investment tips. Photos.com
Steven Stackhouse held himself out as a millionaire entrepreneur and impressed the ladies on Internet dating sites such as Plenty of Fish and QuestChat.com with his red-hot investment tips.
In reality, though, the middle-aged ex-con lived a sad and spartan existence in a rundown rooming house on Gibson Avenue in central Hamilton without an automobile or any meaningful assets.
Stackhouse, who has 55 convictions for crimes of dishonesty and breaching court orders, was found guilty of six more frauds Friday after a two-day trial in Hamilton.
Ontario Court Justice Bernd Zabel found the 40-year-old Stackhouse guilty on Friday of two counts of fraud over $5,000 and four of fraud under $5,000.
He cheated one woman he met online out of $2,000.
He took a second woman for $10,000, defrauded a third out of $3,743, a fourth out of $600, and a fifth female acquaintance out of $7,000.
The father one of them had $5,000 taken from him.
The scruffy-bearded prisoner, about 6-foot-6, wearing a NASCAR jacket and leg shackles, was remanded in custody until Nov. 10 for sentencing.
Zabel said he found the six complainants and a bank manager who testified to be direct, forthright and credible witnesses.
He said the convicted man met the five women on various websites and over time talked them out of their money with false tales of personal wealth and business acumen. After gaining their trust, Stackhouse would offer to let the victims in on some investment opportunities he thought would interest them.
ONLINE PREDITOR: He held himself out as a millionaire entrepreneur and impressed the ladies on Internet dating sites such as Plenty of Fish and QuestChat.com with his red-hot investment tips. Photos.com
Steven Stackhouse held himself out as a millionaire entrepreneur and impressed the ladies on Internet dating sites such as Plenty of Fish and QuestChat.com with his red-hot investment tips.
In reality, though, the middle-aged ex-con lived a sad and spartan existence in a rundown rooming house on Gibson Avenue in central Hamilton without an automobile or any meaningful assets.
Stackhouse, who has 55 convictions for crimes of dishonesty and breaching court orders, was found guilty of six more frauds Friday after a two-day trial in Hamilton.
Ontario Court Justice Bernd Zabel found the 40-year-old Stackhouse guilty on Friday of two counts of fraud over $5,000 and four of fraud under $5,000.
He cheated one woman he met online out of $2,000.
He took a second woman for $10,000, defrauded a third out of $3,743, a fourth out of $600, and a fifth female acquaintance out of $7,000.
The father one of them had $5,000 taken from him.
The scruffy-bearded prisoner, about 6-foot-6, wearing a NASCAR jacket and leg shackles, was remanded in custody until Nov. 10 for sentencing.
Zabel said he found the six complainants and a bank manager who testified to be direct, forthright and credible witnesses.
He said the convicted man met the five women on various websites and over time talked them out of their money with false tales of personal wealth and business acumen. After gaining their trust, Stackhouse would offer to let the victims in on some investment opportunities he thought would interest them.
