BBC true crime series unveils 'Bad Nanny' who scammed vulnerable families

Daily Mirror

17 hours ago

Serial con-artist Samantha Cookes assumed multiple identities and made up wild stories. BBC's documentary tonight sheds a light on the true crime case
Like an evil Mary Poppins, serial con-artist Samantha Cookes posed as a nanny and scammed families with disabled children - even taking their money for a fake trip to Lapland. Gripping two-parter Bad Nanny (Tues 8th July, BBC1, 10.45pm) rakes over all the shocking details of this true crime case, that saw Cookes assume multiple identities, including a child therapist, an arts teacher and a surrogate mother, to con families in the UK and Ireland between 2011 and 2024.
She even posed on TikTok as Carrie Jade Williams, a terminally ill woman and disability activist, winning the sympathy and support of thousands. But when one of her posts went viral, some followers became suspicious and began to dig, discovering her real name was Samantha Cookes, a fraud with multiple aliases and a troubling history.
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Speaking for the first time, Katie and Luke in North Yorkshire describe how she posed as a surrogate mother, defrauding them of their savings.
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Mother-of-three Layla describes how she believed she was hiring 'Lucy Hart', a Mary Poppins-like au pair at their home in County Offaly. When Layla became suspicious, 'Lucy' vanished, leaving an ominous note that left Layla fearing for her children. And Dublin mums Lorraine and Lynn reveal how they hired 'Lucy Fitzwilliams' as a child therapist for their disabled children, eventually handed over desposits for a fake trip to Lapland. 'Lucy' also told wild stories, pretending she was the 3M company heiress and was set to marry a pastor. Lorraine says: 'She took advantage of people's trust and their emotions and vulnerability.'
Bad Nanny is airing on BBC One tonight at 10.45pm
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