Alberta serial romance scammer fights dangerous offender designation

CBC

6 days ago

A serial romance fraudster who faked brain cancer and used other schemes to bilk Alberta women out of thousands of dollars is fighting a court ruling to keep him in prison indefinitely.
Jeffrey Kent's lawyer says he has filed a notice of appeal challenging the recent ruling by an Edmonton Court of King's Bench judge to designate his client a dangerous offender.
The designation is used to keep repeat dangerous offenders in prison for the rest of their lives pending periodic reviews by parole officials.
Kent's lawyer says dangerous offender rulings are usually reserved for those who commit violence.
Court had previously heard Kent bilked five women by romancing them and pretending to be a doctor, lawyer and businessman, and getting them to invest in bogus real estate schemes while running up their credit cards, faking brain cancer to garner sympathy and, in one case, fathering a child by one of them.
The 55-year-old Kent has other fraud and theft convictions under similar circumstances that date back more than three decades. Beginning in B.C., in 1990, he gained women's trust, then stole their money, typically spending it on gambling.
Some lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to Kent, and two became so deeply involved that they had a child with him, learning only after they were pregnant about the extent of his deception.
Dangerous offender status can be considered only if someone is convicted of a "serious personal injury offence," and fraud isn't typically in that category.
Last month, a judge ruled Kent's crimes are of such a serious, harmful nature, and that — coupled with evidence suggesting he will continue such crimes if released — justifies making him a dangerous offender.
Court of King's Bench Justice Melanie Hayes-Richards ruled that an indeterminate sentence was required, concluding it's the only way to manage the risk Kent and his "pattern is the deep deception" poses.
"Using lie upon lie, he inserted himself into his victims' lives, promising a bright and secure future. Instead, he wreaked havoc. He destroyed their finances and left some financially destitute. He shattered their confidence, self-worth and ability to trust others," Hayes-Richards said in her decision.