| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 7:39:15 AM | I was reading a story from my local newspaper today and came across this. A story of someone from plenty of fish who stole $103,000 from ladies he met through this website.
This link will only work for today, so I cut and paste the story.
http://www.therecord.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=record/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1161035412671&call_pageid=1024321927354&col=1024322421753
KITCHENER (Oct 17, 2006)
He was a perfect gentleman. He opened doors for women, bought them dinner, and promised them presents.
He held their hands, told them they were beautiful and said he wanted to marry them.
Yes, them.
Jivesh Jagota, the man dubbed Kitchener's "online Casanova,'' had a string of women on the go at once.
Police found 11 women he defrauded after he met them on an Internet dating site called Plentyoffish.com between 2002 and 2006. During brief relationships with the women, he often pretended to be a lawyer, a medical resident or a university student. They never knew his real name or phone number.
He persuaded them to give him money, often under the guise of helping them get loans or helping them with custody proceedings.
The 11 women handed over a total of $103,000. As soon as Jagota got a woman's money, he was gone. They were dumped.
Yesterday, in a Kitchener courtroom, Jagota, 38, pleaded guilty to defrauding the 11 women plus several breaches of court orders. For example, after he was arrested last December, Jagota was ordered not to contact any females on chat lines.
He ignored the order and was back at his schemes within weeks.
Eight of the 11 women were in court as Jagota entered his pleas in a clipped tone. A court order prevents publication of their names.
Jagota, a thin, round-shouldered man with a long, pointed nose, dark hair and eyebrows, didn't look over at his victims as the facts were read out.
"This man has no remorse, none,'' a 26-year-old woman, who gave Jagota $4,200 to help his allegedly financially strapped cousin pay for university tuition, said outside court. "He's a very evil man. "I think we were professionally conned.''
She said Jagota gave her and several other women chlamydia, a sexually transmitted disease.
"I feel like I was raped,'' she said. "He lies to get into your bed and into your financial accounts.''
Jagota will be sentenced on Nov. 29. The Crown will seek a jail term of under two years less a day.
Court heard Jagota has a common-law wife. He was living with her in Kitchener when he was supposed to be living with his Cambridge parents while out on bail. It's believed his wife didn't know what was going on.
Jagota isn't a man whose looks would cause women to come running. He's just an average man, but he was a smooth talker, according to the women who were duped.
"He was sort of like Prince Charming. He sweeps you off your feet,'' said the 26-year-old woman.
She told a story about their first face-to-face meeting in a coffee shop.
"He reached over and touched my hand and said, 'Do you think it's too presumptuous of me to give you a kiss because you're so beautiful?' "
She declined. But their relationship moved quickly. He came to her home several times and met her parents. "When a man starts saying, 'I love you. I want to marry you. I want to have children,' it's very hard when you're wanting this, as a person keeps saying things you want to hear,'' she said. "I'd been alone for the last couple of years. I'd been looking for 'that one."'
He even advised her to get birth control because they "weren't ready'' to have children yet.
"It's a bad life lesson,'' she concluded. "We've been played. We were little toy things to him.''
The women knew Jagota by the names John Kumar, Robert Costa, John Robert Costa, Den Costa, Tom DaCosta, Dale Costa-Kumar and Jaz Kumar. Waterloo regional police got their first complaints about him in 2002. But there wasn't enough evidence to charge him, retired Det. Art Livingstone said yesterday.
More complainants came forward in 2005, and police gathered enough evidence to lay charges.
"He should have been an actor,'' Livingstone said of the smooth Don Juan who played whatever role worked for the woman he was with.
Livingstone defended the women.
"I don't think the women are dumb,'' he said. "I think they were conned by a male who was very reassuring to them. He made himself look like he was very aware of whatever profession he was trying to portray. They let their guard down.''
Jagota convinced one woman to let him invest her money. He said he'd made profits with other people's money and his alleged roommate confirmed this with her. She gave him a total of more than $29,000. None of the women expect to get their money back.
Jagota talked another woman into taking out a loan to buy a home that they would later resell for a profit. He told her to direct the $15,000 loan to a Canada Trust account held by his father.
Posing as a lawyer, he got $1,800 from another woman after he offered to help her file custody papers to get custody of the child her ex-husband wanted to take to the United States. He suggested she clear off her outstanding debt and helped her get a $10,000 loan to do so. He directed her to deposit the cheque and then withdraw the money. He kept the money but didn't pay off her debts.
When one woman confronted him with her suspicions, he accused her of making him feel bad. He said she didn't trust him. "He said was going to go for a long drive and hopefully a vehicle would hit him,'' she said outside court.
The women shook their heads as they compared stories. Some realized for the first time that weekend dates Jagota had broken with them were times when he was with one of the other women.
One woman entered counselling to deal with her plummeting self-esteem. Now she realizes, "It's not my fault. It's his fault. He's good at what he does.''
dwood@therecord.com | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 7:52:31 AM | there ain't no man in the world getting near my money......or woman either for that matter
Thanx for posting this, very interesting reading
and so close to home too.  | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:00:06 AM | WHEW...
I knew this guy. Never dating him or anything but I did have him on my favs for awhile. Guess he knew I was broke and didnt want me, lmao. Im sure we chatted a few times and I do recall him attending a London BBQ once.
So sad for the ladies that he conned.
Sam | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:05:31 AM | there are alot of people out there like this. The unfortunate part is they dont normally get caught....especially in "Canada" watch out for the maple leaf tattoo | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:06:28 AM | Wow......... and you read it right here on POF......
Very interesting to know...
and people what's wrong with voting to delete this thread.... Woman need to know this stuff......
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.lisa
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Joined: 9/27/2006
Msg: 8 | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:22:26 AM | | Just as there are scam artists everywhere there are very stupid women - yup sorry but if you're dumb enough to give it up to a stranger you met on line, then someone needs to hit you on the head and give you a wake up call. | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:39:06 AM | | Wow im sorry it happened to the women on pof....thats a shame...lock him up throw way the dam key....He wouldnt have gottin any of my money cause i dont have any lolollol and plus i have had men ask me for money for plane tickets and such my reply is are you kidding me ....lolol like id send a total stranger money ever on line or off....Some guys are real smooth thats for sure but the older i get the wiser i get alone with it all.....My guard is alway up and the red flags shine threw most times ...and its a shame to think that there are people like this man all over the world ...shame on them all....just my 2 cents worth thanks.... | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:39:13 AM | Looks like some people are so intent on finding someone they let it fog their perception.
Lesson learned I hope,and hope noone else is that loose with their trust................and wallets | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:43:34 AM | Agreed Leeanne..........these con artists would have no success if some weren't so willing to give everything up so easily. I'm not saying to be having brick walls up or anything, but be a little more careful and look for signs:
1) Why hasn't he taken me to his place?
2) No phone numbers where he can be reached?
3) NO MONEY EXCHANGE period!
4) Elusive or never talking about his job.
5) Do a little background investigation........talk to his friends or maybe even online if anyone else has met or befriended this person!
I will try to post some more suggestions when I have time...... | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 8:56:38 AM | Leeanne...I agree with you totally but I want to take it a bit further....any woman (or man ) who gives up their money to someone they are not married/serious committment to, is dumb....end of story. It doesn't matter where they met, IMO.
Stuff like this gives online dating a bad rep, when in reality, she could have met him at the laundramat.
too many people are always looking for a free ride. Get a job and work for it like the rest of us. | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 9:17:48 AM | It is not just ladies who can be vulnerable to this shee-ot. I have a very wonderful friend who is whitty, intelligent, accomplished, and articulate. He is an amazing man and wonderful friend. Recently he got shafted for 10grand. He was really upset he let this happen to him and was so very embarrassed to tell me about it. This is a man who would not harm a fly or willingly or knowingly do anyone wrong.
He met a woman on line, and just had an instant affinity with her. Over time, she wormed her way into his heart, and when they decided to meet, she cried no money for the plane ticket and other things she needed to resolve before they could be together. So over time, the grand total that he shelled out to her was 10 grand. It was when he sent her money for her plane ticket and she never arrived on the proposed date that he knew he was had. Her phone number was no longer in service and the emails to her were bounced back to him undeliverable.
So we ALL have to be careful! | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 9:22:48 AM | so right....but real world ...back in the seventies
a good looking guy in his mid forties...old enough to know better
owns a GM dealership....
meets a lovely yong lady somewhere, he ends up taken for a wad of cash and a brand new CORVETTE....she had good taste, what can I say....
Online has nothing to really do with it, it just expedites the process, scam artists are scam artists.
Be careful and be safe everyone. | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 9:27:43 AM | Okay, is it just me or are there some really foolish women out there???? Who lends a man THAT much money?????? Really....if I met someone off here, I cannot imagine lending or giving ANY man (no matter how charming or wonderful or handsome he is) cash like that....why?????? (shaking head) I'm sorry but the red flags and warning bells would be going off like gang-busters in the presence of a man like that...I dont understand.
Ever the true gentleman nascar3fan, thank u for sharing the story. [[[hugggssss]]]
vvvvv interdimensional -I love you to but NO!!!!!! LMAO vvvvvvv | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 9:31:33 AM | Interesting story.....
there is no way in the world I would give any man I was dating loans/cash, too many stories like this...besides I got my own mortage and bills to pay....LOL | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 9:56:53 AM | | I must also include in here that men are vunerable as well. There have been many men taken by conniving women. Bogus marriages, money scams, property theft etc. People who are lonely and seeking love can be very open to heartless people playing with your low self esteem and openess to being overtaken. Some people make it a business much like the scammer in the story posted by the OP. | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 10:09:46 AM | | WOW! I guess there are some very foolish people out there...have to be very careful online...and like Leeanne just said, it's not just the women, there are men who have taken advantage of...it happened to a male friend of mine...it's very sad that are people out there who take advantage of innocent people. | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 10:11:08 AM | | they would have to be some damn good lies to get my money i have to say who would give someone that kind of money holly crap oh well hes an ass have fun at maple hurst lol | |
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| They aren't kidding...be careful ladies
Posted: 10/17/2006 11:08:24 AM | here's my 2 dollars worth ...
any woman (or man ) who gives up their money to someone they are not married/serious committment to, is dumb....end of story
i have seen women ask men for money ..cuz they can't pay this or need to pay that ... and well .. it goes both ways .. men are just considered suckers ...
you gotta look at the whole picture .. he conned 11 women over the course of 4 years .. that's about 3 women over a year .. one every 4 months .. some he chatted with while chatting with others .. so this just means he could keep up the lies easily
it's not like he just met them and asked for money right away .. to be able to give that much to someone you would have to trust them ... not too long i seen a post of 2 ppl getting married after 2-3 weeks of meeting .. but it was in the states .. they were going to buy a house together .. and they both removed their profiles off here
when anyone tells me they want to remove their profile cuz they found 'the one' i suggest against it .. simple reasons .. you dont know what the person is like and may not be together for long and be back .. or someone gets the other person to remove their profile .. not good .. don't do it
i've eye witnessed an eye witness money being conned out of family and then falling for it again ... i know what i'm saying ..don't know if it made sense to others without knowing it all
just be careful..and always make rational decisions | |
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