Man in court accused of £595k romance fraud
Marc Cole-Jones faces 22 fraud charges involving six women across the UK
Last updated 24th Sep 2025
A man has appeared in Chester Crown Court accused of defrauding six women out of nearly £600,000 in an alleged romance scam.
Marc Cole-Jones, 52, from Donnington, Telford, faces 22 counts of fraud by false representation between 2009 and 2024. The total alleged fraud amounts to £595,791.
The women are from Cheshire, Lancashire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Manchester and the West Midlands.
Cole-Jones, also known as Marc Cole, Marcus Cole-Jones and Marc Sands, appeared at Chester Crown Court for a pre-trial hearing but did not enter pleas.
He was granted bail until February 5, when he must return for a plea and trial preparation hearing. His bail conditions include reporting weekly to police, providing details of bank accounts and phone use, and not contacting the complainants.
The case is being investigated by Cheshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit.