A 52-year-old man has appeared in court charged with 25 counts of romance fraud involving seven women.
Marc Cole-Jones, of Church Grove, Donnington, Telford, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday 27 February 2026 charged with 25 counts of fraud by false representation.
The 52-year-old, also known as Marc Cole, Marcus Cole-Jones and Marc Sands, pleaded not guilty to the charges and was released on conditional bail.
A four-week trial has been scheduled at Chester Crown Court starting on Monday 28 June 2027.
The charges follow a detailed investigation by detectives from the Economic Crime Unit at Cheshire Police.
They relate to romance fraud allegations involving seven women from Cheshire, Lancashire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Manchester and the West Midlands, which are reported to have occurred between 2009 and 2024.
The total value of the offences is £635,791.41.
