The perfect stranger: as a polygamist swindler pretended to be a CIA agent and seduced women
'20.06.2020'
Source: Lenta.ru
A lonely resident of Great Britain met on the Internet with an American posing as a CIA agent and married him. Nobody could predict what would happen next, writes Lenta.ru.
Only six years after Mary's fateful acquaintance, a terrible secret was revealed: a loving and caring husband, traveling on special tasks, is a fraudster, polygamist and pedophile.
Fatal acquaintance
On November 16, 2000, Mary Turner Thomson met an American William Allen Jordan on a dating site. At that time, a 35-year-old single mother with a nine-month-old daughter in her arms longed for a new romantic relationship. Light and pleasant in conversation, Jordan quickly turned Mary's head. He said that he was from the United States, but had lived in the UK for eight years and spent most of his time in Edinburgh. A new acquaintance also said that he had his own consulting company in the field of information technology.
34-year-old William gave Mary compliments and emphasized that their views on life completely coincide.
“Will immediately said that he was only interested in a serious relationship,” she recalls. In addition to this, he warned that he could not have children, since he had been ill with a mumps in childhood. “I had to come to terms with the fact that I would never have my biological family. But such is the reality, ”he complained.
The new boyfriend behaved very courteously with Mary and in communication focused on the fact that he accepts and respects any of her choices.
“We exchanged emails daily, two to three times a day, - we flirted, chatted and more and more opened up to each other. I tried to keep calm, because I knew that when I met I could be disappointed, ”she notes. “But everything seemed so natural and right.”
Two weeks later, their interest in each other only increased. William suggested switching to telephone communication. The couple exchanged numbers, and after that the boyfriend suddenly disappeared. Mary repeatedly tried to reach him and wrote emails to him, but did not receive an answer. Two days later, he got in touch and explained his absence by the fact that he was on a business trip to Spain.
“It infuriated me. I told him that I was worried and that such behavior was unacceptable under any circumstances. I tried to break with him, ”she recalled. He began to make excuses that all the time he thought about her and was bored, but was catastrophically busy with work.
“In the end, I got cold, and we agreed that he would call me that evening. I was so angry that day that I didn’t care if he eventually called or not, ”she says.
A new stage in the relationship
A telephone conversation nevertheless took place, and the couple continued to communicate as easily as they had once in correspondence. On the phone, he once again lamented that, unfortunately, he would never be able to become a biological father and continue his family.
“He would be happy to build a family,” Mary retolds his words. - But when he found out that he could not have children, he went headlong into work and, one might say, became a workaholic. He only once had a long relationship, but they ended when his partner wanted children. ”
December 1, the couple first met, and a few days later Mary invited William to her house for dinner. After that, they began to meet regularly and became increasingly attached to each other. William was always gallant and behaved like a true gentleman. He conquered her with his talents, including playing musical instruments, fluent in nine languages and knowledge of information technology.
Lovers quarreled only for one reason: William was often late by the appointed hour or even disappeared for several days, or even weeks. Each time, he found convincing justification for Mary and repented that from now on this would not happen again. Most often, he explained his disappearance by working trips
In late December, after another such quarrel, William came with an apology and made Mary an offer.
“By that time, we had only met for a month. I knew that I loved him, but I also understood that four weeks is not enough to get to know the person properly. I took the time to think. He didn’t mind, only asked me not to remove the engagement ring, ”she recalls.
Unexpected discovery
William constantly went on long business trips or stayed in the office, skipping even family holidays. Mary annoyed his passion for work, but over time, she resigned herself. Upon his return, he showered her with compliments and declarations of love each time and said that all the qualities of the woman of his dreams were collected in her. According to William, because of the work, which includes regular trips inside the country and abroad, he does not have his own housing. He allegedly stayed either in hotels or rented an apartment for a short time.
“Somewhere deep down I felt that something was wrong here. Will changed his phone number several times a month, explaining that their company regularly changes their provider. Suspicions grew in me, ”Mary admits.
She crawled into the WHOIS database and found information about his company. To her surprise, it said that William works as a secretary, and the director of the company is Julia Bringhurst. Mary found her address and went to her.
William was supposedly away, but his car was parked at Julia's house. At the same time, Mary was scandalized by children's toys scattered around the yard. She returned home and called William, demanding that she immediately come to her for a serious conversation. He showed up after a few hours.
William calmly said that everything was not as it seemed to her, then he took his cell phone and went into another room. There he talked with someone on the phone, but Mary could not make out his cues. After some time, which seemed to her forever, he returned and began a conversation.
In a calm and steady tone, he explained that he was working in the intelligence of the American government. According to him, at that time Israel and Palestine were in his department. For several years he worked in various countries, including Japan and Brazil. His specialization was Information Technology
For several hours, he told Mary about his work at the CIA and that their IT consulting firm was just a cover in order to break into systems and extract sensitive data.
“During our conversation, there was not a hint of excitement in him,” says Mary. - He, as usual, looked at me with a warm, gentle and loving look. I can’t say that I bought 100 percent, but I believed him. He really fit the description of a person who would be suitable for this position. ” Mary could not allow the thought that William was lying to her.
“No, he could not do that. He did not look like a person who is capable of such, ”she thought then.
Another shock
In the end, he asked Mary not to trust anyone and be careful. After that conversation, their relationship only improved. Now Mary did not consider the frequent absence and lateness of her lover a big problem. On the contrary, it seemed to her that she was dating a superman who fights with criminals and keeps order in the world.
In May 2001, Mary learned that William was appointed director of the IT department of a large company in Manchester. In this regard, most of the time he was away.
“We saw each other on weekends and at least once a week spent the night together. He promised me that very soon everything will change, ”Mary recalls. - I made plans for the future. By that time, I had already agreed to become his wife. ”
The next month, Mary was in for a shock. In preparation for the wedding, scheduled for July, she suddenly found herself pregnant.
“I was so afraid that he would suspect me of infidelity. After all, he was so sure of his inability to have a baby, ”she says. - When I told him everything, he was shocked, then delighted and called me a sorceress and a witch. He said a miracle happened. Doctors told him that there was a chance to become a father, but he was negligible. ”
Mary had already booked a wedding venue, bought a dress and sent invitations to guests when William disappeared without a trace. Two weeks later, the excited bride received a message. It said that her fiance was alive, healthy and would get in touch as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
The wedding had to be canceled. Native Mary were disappointed that William did not attend the ceremony because of work. The pregnant bride zealously defended the groom and thwarted any attempt to defile his good name.
Heroic Homecoming
William was absent from July 2001 to May 2002. He assured that he was working with Israeli intelligence and helped to identify and neutralize suicide bombers. The groom only once stopped by Mary, and even then for a day - in December 2001. He allegedly urgently needed to replace the broken equipment and the next day to return to service.
Mary did not receive any financial support from William, so she had to live on her own money. Her lover claimed that the CIA agents did not have access to their accounts, as they were being continuously monitored.
Fortunately, I was still working, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to make ends meet. I was very worried about how to go on maternity leave. I just hoped that by the time Will returned home.
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Mary's second daughter, Eilid, was born in February 2002. William returned and first saw the newborn only three months later. He looked exhausted and thinner and said that he had been to hot spots during the military conflict between Israel and Palestine. Upon his return, he suffered from depression and complained that the CIA did not achieve its desired goals. He allegedly wished to leave the federal agency, but instead he was offered a new position - to transfer his knowledge to junior agents, including teaching to collect secret data.
Mary wanted her lover to say goodbye to intelligence completely, however, according to William, he could no longer log out. His transition to a new position deprived the lovers of previous bonuses, including corporate cars and credit cards.
“Honestly, it didn't bother me much. I just wanted my fiance and father of my child to return home. I wanted to support him during a difficult transition to a new position, ”she says.
William began to spend more time at home with Mary, daughter Eilid and her older sister Robin. Children of the soul did not look at him, while he was still depressed and often retired to the computer to work.
On October 26, 2002, William and Mary finally got married. Soon after, the newly-made husband announced that the CIA was calling him on a mission. According to him, the agency in the UK needed an experienced driver who could, if necessary, act as a bodyguard. He emphasized that he meets the stated requirements.
Financial fraud
At the end of the same year, William said that his mother was in the hospital and needed help. Since his father could not cover medical bills, he needed to transfer his mother five thousand pounds for treatment. The compassionate Mary took this amount on credit and gave it to her husband. In addition, she rented a car for him, which took almost all of her salary. William expertly convinced her that this was necessary for security reasons and the CIA’s internal policies.
It was assumed that William would receive compensation in the amount of 250 thousand pounds. Soon, he showed his wife a bank account - there was an amount of 350 thousand pounds.
The couple decided to buy a house. In early 2003, Mary found a suitable option - a spacious apartment in Edinburgh. The seller requested 450 thousand pounds for her, and William without any doubt accepted the offer. But as soon as they signed the contract and the day of payment came, William disappeared again. He assured by telephone that the money was coming from the USA and the transaction was being delayed. Ultimately, the deal had to be abandoned. For breaking the contract Mary put a penalty of 17 thousand pounds.
According to William, the CIA deliberately wanted to pay compensation, but he could not answer what was the reason. “I thought that all this was done in order to prevent his departure from the agency. He seemed to prefer to be with me and the children, instead of fulfilling his duty and continuing to serve the country. They inconceivably complicated his life, ”Mary recalled her thoughts.
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Will worked around the clock and did not receive a salary. He could never give me a reasonable explanation that would satisfy me. I became more and more in debt, but Will kept telling me that our financial situation would soon change.
William, as before, did not provide Mary with any financial support. In mid-2003, she continued to work as a business consultant, and also began to conduct school courses on creating her own business and conducting trainings for businessmen. Mary worked overtime, leaving her daughters with her mother. William was still traveling on behalf of the federal agency.
In July 2004, Mary became pregnant again. She hoped that with the advent of another family, the situation would change, and William would stop traveling on special missions. Unfortunately, she was disappointed.
“When I was carrying Zach, he told me that someone with whom he contacted during the operation threatens to abduct, kill and dismember our children if we do not send him money,” she said. “By that time, I had been involved in his game for four years, so I believed everything unconditionally.”
Mary sold everything that she had at that time, including a house and a car, and gave the proceeds to her husband. Later, she explained her behavior by the fact that, despite William's suspicious behavior, at home he was always a loving and caring husband and an exemplary father.
Disclosure
The truth surfaced in November 2005, when William was arrested. This time, he again came up with a legend for his gullible wife. On the phone, he explained that there was a misunderstanding related to a friend's credit card. “He claimed that, being an agent of the CIA, he knew the code word that would easily get him out of prison,” Mary recalls talking to her husband.
Shortly before Christmas, William disappeared again and got in touch only in January. He called Mary and warned that the police would contact her soon, they would convince her that he was arrested for polygamy, but the authorities’ charges were a mistake. They allegedly found a CIA agent personal file named Julia, who, he claimed, pretended to be his wife in order to complete a mission in the UK.
After that, William prepared an explanation in advance why the police would accuse him of pedophilia. The swindler stated that the prosecution was fabricated by a federal agency so that he could question the real criminal in prison. Later, Mary nevertheless found out the terrible truth: in 1997 her husband was indeed arrested and sentenced to four years for molesting a little girl.
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Despite the seemingly inconceivable stories of William, Mary unquestioningly believed him, until in April 2006 she was called by the “fake wife” Julia, who in fact turned out to be William's real wife.
“I was shaking all over when she called and asked, 'Are you another Mrs. Jordan?' I have never experienced anything like it. All our feelings turned out to be fake, all I knew was a deception. Everything collapsed, she recalls. "I knew she was telling the truth."
Julia said she was married to William for 16 years and they have five children.
“We met in a cafe and talked about 12 o’clock. When she left home at six in the morning, I wrote a message to Will and dropped it,” Mary recalls.
However, getting rid of her husband was not so simple. He continued to write and call Mary, more and more drowning in lies.
The stories about the CIA and the blackmailers turned out to be fiction. In fact, William hid two more wives whom he met during the so-called business trips. He had at least 13 children from six women, including two from Julia's servant, and a criminal record for a sexual offense.
A prison term and another deception
Mary and Julia rallied a common misfortune. Together, they made William answer for everything in court. In 2006, he was sentenced to five years in prison for polygamy, fraud, and illegal possession of firearms. He spent two and a half years in a British prison, after which he was deported to the United States.
After his release, William found a new victim - Michelle Lewis, who believed that he was working as a spy for the Ministry of Defense of Great Britain. The couple met on the Internet in 2013 and met for 15 months until Michelle found out that her lover was a pathological cheater with a number of convictions.
She reported William to the police. After collecting evidence of his new offenses, in February 2015, police arrested a swindler in a parking lot in a shopping center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. He went back to prison for three years.
Mary
Mary tried to understand how it turned out that she, an educated and self-sufficient woman, believed in unthinkable stories about spies and gave the fraudster her last money.
“One gets the feeling that you are being patronized and supported around the clock, but in fact you are simply being manipulated. Over time, there is no trace of your confidence and self-esteem, ”she emphasized.
Mary later found out that William deliberately made the woman pregnant and in constant stress, vulnerable and malleable. So it was easier for him to control the victim and lure her money.
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Mary and Julia became close friends.
“We communicate quite often, and over time she became much calmer. Do not forget that I was brainwashed for six years, and she’s all 15. We spend time together, and my children know that they have brothers and sisters, ”said Mary. “But I do not want to spread too much on this score.” I don’t want Will to know how we live. ”
After the harsh truth about William revealed, Mary decided to find the rest of his victims. So, in addition to Julia, she met two residents of the United States and two English women. Mary is convinced that William harmed a much larger number of women, but for one reason or another they do not want to tell their story.
“We are all united by one thing: we were caring single mothers. We all have a big and kind heart, and we are ready to sacrifice ourselves for the sake of others. He didn’t just choose us just like that - we couldn’t, suspecting something was wrong, begin to follow him, ”she explained.
Mary fears that one day William will make his way to the UK and try to contact her family. To calm her, she walks with her daughters in taekwondo, and also started a dog.
“I want to say that now I am happy. I think that I recovered from what I experienced. And I realized that you don’t have to be in a relationship to feel happy, ”Mary concluded.
