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Tag: paradise

  • He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (3)

    He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (3)

    KEL came back from work one day, looking very sad. When I asked him what the problem was, he was silent for sometime, not saying anything.

    “Honey, what’s wrong? You have been so quiet since you came home. You barely answered my greeting,” I said when I followed him to the bedroom.

    “There’s no problem,” he said brusquely, taking off his shirt and going into the bathroom. Later, after he had eaten and was relaxing in front of the TV he opened up a bit, stating that it was some issues he had in the office that was bothering him.

    “We lost a huge IT contract to a rival company and my Chairman is mad at everybody,” he said.

    “That’s too bad, dear. Don’t worry too much about it. I bet another one will come,” I said reassuringly. I went to sit besides him on the couch and cuddled up to him, placing my head on his shoulder.

    “Thanks, love. I felt really bad because we put in so much effort for us to get the job, but all was in vain,” Kel stated glumly.

    “As I said, everything will be alright. God will provide another one,” I said. We watched a popular soap opera on TV for a while before retiring to bed.

    Due to the experience I had with my last pregnancy, I was very careful this time around. I avoided things that might pose as a risk such as doing strenuous things like the doctor advised.

    That night in bed, when my husband reached for me, I pushed him away gently, giving the baby as an excuse. By then, I was about five months pregnant.

    It did not go down well with Kel who grumbled about being denied his marital rights.

    “This is the second time you are pushing me away this week. How long will you stop me from making love to you?” he said irritatingly.

    “It’s for the sake of the baby, Kel. I don’t want to lose this one too,” I explained.

    “Excuses, excuses! That’s all you ever give,” he grumbled. He turned his back on me and soon I could hear him snoring softly.

    The contract

    About three months later, I was in the kitchen preparing dinner when Kel came home from work. He was earlier than usual and I could see a glint in his eyes that he normally had when he had great news to tell.

    It turned out his company was involved in a bidding for a contract with a major Telecoms outfit in the country.

    “It’s the same company where your Uncle Thomas is a director,” he announced. Uncle Thomas was one of my late mother’s brothers. He was quite wealthy and had been very good to my siblings and I after our Mum’s death.

    “That’s good. I pray you will win this one. God will use this contract to compensate for the last one you lost,” I prayed.

    “Thanks for your prayers, dear. But we also need your Uncle’s support to facilitate things for us,” he said.

    “What do you mean?” I asked.

    He shrugged.

    “Well, since he is one of the directors, we could ask him to put in a word for my company; that will definitely give us an edge over our competitors,” he said.

    I shook my head before stating:

    “I don’t think it’s a good idea. You know how Uncle Thomas is; he is a very strict and straight forward man and likes following the proper procedures when doing things especially when it comes to official matters. Remember what happened to Mike,” I stated. Mike was one of my brothers who had applied for a job in my Uncle’s company along with other applicants to fill some vacancies. Despite Uncle Thomas’s position in the company, Mike did not get the job, much to his annoyance. Later, on being asked why his nephew had failed to secure the job, my uncle had explained that he did not perform up to the required standard the company demanded.

    ‘The fact that he is my nephew is not an automatic license for his getting a job in the company. He failed in the interview. Period,’ he had told me back then.

    “So, dear, I don’t think you should put too much hope on my uncle for his assistance. The best thing is to ensure your company puts in a strong bid and with luck on your side, you will win the contract,” I said.

    But Kel still persisted on going through Uncle Thomas, stating that the contract was too important to leave to chance.

    “We really need to win this contract. The Chairman has given us a mandate to do all it takes to win it and if that includes seeing your uncle over it, then we have to do that. He has even promised to make me the M.D of the company if we clinch the contract. You know the present M.D will be leaving us soon. So, dear, let’s meet Uncle Thomas, ok?”

    I was still not convinced but not to make it look as if I did not want to help, I conceded to his demand.

    ***

    As I had predicted, Uncle Thomas was unwilling to involve himself in the bidding process, stating ethical reasons.

    “We have foreign affiliations and our bidding process follows the high standards of our foreign partners. So, I cannot influence it. Besides, I believe in fairplay for all the parties involved in the bid. Jessica, you should have explained the situation to your husband, that it’s something I can’t do. If you are lucky to win the bid, then I can help with facilitating payment of the money or anything to do with the execution of the contract. But till then, all I can do is wish you goodluck,” he said with finality.

    Kel was unhappy with my Uncle’s stance, believing it was selfish on his part not to assist him, his niece’s husband.

    I tried to pacify him, stating that his company might get the job considering the strong bid they had put in. Unfortunately, my optimism was misplaced. Kel’s company lost the bid to a rival. That evening when he came home from work, he looked furious and barely acknowledged my greeting on entering the house.

    He blamed the loss of the contract on my uncle, pointing out that if he had put in a little effort on his behalf, the contract would have been theirs.

    “Your Uncle is such a wicked person. A simple thing to do to help a family member is too much for him. What kind of man is that? Selfish bastard!” he stated angrily.

    I took exception to his calling my uncle names over a matter that he had no control over and when I told Kel that, he got even angrier. This led to a full blown quarrel between us, one of the biggest quarrels since our marriage.

    “Stop blaming my Uncle for your failure! There was nothing he could do about the bid and he explained it to you. The man is innocent. And stop calling him names! He’s not your mate, remember?” I said equally angry.

    “So, are you now calling me a failure? How dare you!” he shouted at me. He then slapped me and grabbed my neck in a vice choke. I tried to scream, struggling to extricate myself from his grip but it was nearly impossible as he was much stronger than me.

    Then, abruptly, he flung me against the wall and I slid to the floor. I must have fainted for when I woke up, I was in…

    To be continued…

     

    What next? Details next Saturday!

    We welcome comments/suggestions from readers. All correspondence should be sent to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of Jessica, her husband and other individuals in the story.

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of Jessica and other individuals in the story.

  • He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (2)

    THAT weekend, Kel took me to a fun spot on the Island. It was an open air restaurant in a secluded area by the lagoon front, popular for its spicy, barbecued chicken and other delicacies. After placing our order, we sat taking in the cool breeze from the lagoon and admiring the view.

    “Nice place,” I said as I watched some speed boats racing on the choppy waters of the lagoon.

    “Yes. My friends and I hang out here once in a while. Since you like it, we will be coming here more often,” Kel stated.

    Soon, the food arrived and we concentrated on eating and chatting.

    “The chicken is so delicious! Soft and succulent too,” I enthused as I bit into a chicken wing.

    “I was told its a secret recipe only known to the owner of this place,” disclosed Kel.

    “He had better guard it well or he will lose a lot of business if someone else gets to know the recipe,” I remarked.

    Just then an acquaintance of Kel came over to say hello. Soon after he left, we finished the meal and were preparing to leave when a lady came over with a small gift bag. She handed it to me stating:

    “Someone said I should give this to you.”

    I looked at her and the parcel.

    “What is it? Who gave it to you?” I queried. I did not know anyone there and wondered who could be sending gifts to me.

    “Why don’t you open it and let’s see what’s inside,” Kel said encouragingly.

    Inside the bag was a small wrapped gift which I brought out and opened. A diamond- encrusted sparkling ring nestled inside the small jewel case; besides it was a small note with the words: ‘Baby, will you marry me?”

    I looked up quickly at Kel who was smiling broadly at me.

    “Kel!” I said excitedly, jumping up. He rose, took my hand and repeated the words in the note.

    I nodded my head, saying: “Yes, darling! I’ll marry you!” he hugged and kissed me briefly then, unmindful of the other customers around who were looking at us in an amused manner…

    ***

    “Wow, lovely ring! Jessy, you are so lucky. Congrats o!” said Trina as she admired the ring on my return home that night.

    “Thanks, my sister. I just can’t believe I’m engaged to be married. Kel really surprised me,” I said happily.

    “It’s not a surprise to me. That man really loves you. As I said, you are a lucky lady. I wish I could get someone like Kel,” stated Trina. She had been engaged about a year before but things had not worked out between her and her fiancé.

    “Don’t worry; God will bring your man, specially made for you,” I reassured her.

    “Amen o! Better guy o! Not all these ‘chop and clean mouth’ types that are all over the place now who are just looking for who to use and dump!” she said.

    As I gazed at the ring in admiration, I knew Trina was right: I was lucky to have a man like Kel who cared about me and cherished me so much.

    “I love you, Jessica. I promise to always be there for you, to be your shield and to protect you. As long as we are together, I will make sure you never lack. I’ll take care of you and love you forever,” Kel had stated earlier that evening after his surprising proposal.

    I believed and trusted him and gave all my heart and soul to him. But who can tell what lurks deep in a man’s mind? Or fathom what he will be like tomorrow? Only time can unravel that mystery and time did just that to me.

    ***

    Our engagement was a short one. Within five months of Kel’s proposal, we got married in a very classy ceremony at my family church. My father had remarried three years before; though my step mum and I did not get along that well, she stood in and played the role of my late mother during the marriage proceedings.

    It was a very happy period for Kel and I. In the early days of our marriage, he lived up to his promises and was very caring and loving. About six months after the wedding, I found out I was pregnant. Kel was over the moon when I broke the news to him.

    “So, I’m going to be a father again,” he said with a wide grin when he arrived home from work that evening.

    “Yes, dear. I got the result of the test this afternoon at the hospital. I have an appointment with the doctor next week,” I told him.

    “Ok. I will go with you. You know I will do anything for you, dear,” he said hugging me tightly.

    I nodded, at that instant feeling very happy and contented. My joy however was not to last. The pregnancy was about six months old when I woke up one morning in a pool of blood. Kel, who left home very early for work, had already gone out and I was alone in the house. With the assistance of a neighbour, I was able to get to the hospital where I was admitted.

    I felt terrible losing my baby. I had so looked forward to the birth and becoming a mother. I wept bitterly, wondering why such a thing could happen to me. I had been attending antenatal classes regularly and there had been no sign of a problem. So, why this, I wondered. Or was it something I had done?

    “These things happen. Anything can go wrong with a pregnancy even with the best care,” the doctor had stated when he came to check up on me.

    To be fair to him, Kel, my husband was very supportive at this trying time. He was at the hospital regularly throughout the period of my admission and even when I had returned home. I took some time off from work to recuperate and Trina often came to spend time with me.

    “You look so pale. Are you eating well at all?” she asked one day when she had come visiting.

    “You better talk to her. I’ve been telling her to eat all day but she says she doesn’t have any appetite,” said Kel.

    “You need to eat to recover. What has happened can’t be undone. Life has to go on. You are still young and will have more babies in the future,” Trina stated. She then went to the kitchen and prepared some noodles for me which she forced me to eat.

    With their care and support, I was able to recover and was back at work a few weeks later. My husband and I put the incident behind us and got on with our lives. Then, five months later, I got pregnant again. Though, I was happy at the good news, it also marked a turning point in our lives that brought unexpected occurrences I never envisaged…

    To be continued

     

    Join us next Saturday for more of Jessica’s story. Don’t miss the sizzling details!

    We welcome comments/suggestions from readers. All correspondence should be sent to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of Jessica and other individuals in the story.

  • He promised me paradise, but all I got was hell! (1)

    EVERYONE is inside having fun and you are here, just staring at  the garden. What’s so fascinating about those plants?” I had been so engrossed in my thoughts, I had not noticed the man who had come up quietly to stand besides me on the verandah. He was of average height, not much taller than me with a quiet confidence about him.

    “Just taking in some fresh air. It was getting too hot in there,” I told him. It was a birthday party of a friend of my flatmate Trina and as the night progressed, the party was getting more raucous by the minute.

    “Yeah, I get you. All that loud music, cigarrette smoke and chatter of the guests can give one a migraine. I’m Kel by the way. And you are?”

    “Jessica,” I introduced myself.

    We got talking after that. He was a friend of the boyfriend of the celebrant, he told me and had been practically dragged to the bash.

    “I have a very important presentation to make at the office on Monday and I need a lot of time to work on it. But Jerry said all work and no play will make me develop premature grey hair. So here I am!” he said with a grin.

    “Same here. Today is the fifth anniversary of my mother’s death. I wanted to have a quiet time

    for remembrance but Trina, my friend, would not hear of it, stating that my Mum would not be happy wherever she is to see me so sad,” I said.

    “I think your friend is right. Life is for the living; the best way to honour her memory is to live well. And talking about living, I think it’s time we hit the dance floor. So, lady, can I have this dance?” he said. And taking my hand, he led me inside the house where the Kokomaster D’Banj’s hit tune was blasting from the speakers…

    That was how I met Kel. After that evening of the party, we became friends and began seeing each other regularly. Kel was the first man in three years I had become close to and it surprised my friend, Trina. In the past, she had set me up on dates with guys she knew but I had simply not been interested. That was until Kel came on the scene.

     

    A dark past

    At the beginning, she seemed to like him too, stating that I must have been waiting for someone ‘like him’ that’s why I turned down the other men who were interested in me. Then, about four months when Kel and I began dating, she told me things she said she had heard about his past that nearly ended our growing romance.

    “I know you will say it’s none of my business, Jessy but you are my friend and I don’t want anything bad to happen to you. Kel is a nice guy and he’s loving too but there’s something you need to know about him,” she said one night at home. I had just returned from work and I was having a late dinner.

    “What are you talking about?” I asked her as I took a sip of fruit juice.

    She gazed at me for a while before speaking.

    “I heard he was married in the U.S when he lived there and even has a child.”

    “I know. He has told me about it. The boy is about seven years old and he lives with the mother- they are divorced. So, what about it?” I queried.

    “Did he tell you why they got divorced?” she said.

    I shook my head.

    “He only told me they were having problems and he left and returned to Nigeria when he could not cope with the situation anymore,” I told her.

    “That’s not the whole story,” she noted. She then went on to give me the full gist of what happened to Kel while he was abroad, how he used to regularly abuse his wife physically to the extent that the police became involved.

    “I learnt he served a short time in prison for wife battery, domestic violence and other offences,” she added.

    I was shocked at her words. While Kel had told me a lot about his time in the States, first as a student, then as a staff in an IT firm, he never mentioned his going to prison for domestic violence. My Kel, a wife beater? I found it difficult to believe that the gentle looking man I had been seeing these past months was capable of beating a woman, much less his wife.

    Trina assured me she had got the story from an authoritative source, ‘someone who knew him from his days in the U.S,’ as she stated.

    That he had spent time in prison was bad enough but keeping it from me was worse. How could he do that, I fumed.

    “He should have told me about it,” I murmured to myself feeling upset.

    “I think it’s best you ask him. I can see you like him a lot and he is obviously smitten with you. I see the way he looks at you; it’s the look of a man in love. But before you guys go further in the relationship, you need to be more open with one another. Keeping secrets can ruin a good relationship,” Trina advised.

    The following day, a Saturday, Kel came in the evening to pick me up for an outing we had. I sat him down in the living room and confronted him with Trina’s story. Initially, I thought he would deny it and call it the handiwork of ‘idle gossips’ but to my surprise, he readily admitted to serving time in prison.

    “I know I should have told you about it, but it’s in the past, and it’s a time of my life I want to forget. Some bad things went down while I was abroad; I used to drink and smoke a lot and I did some things I’m not proud of today. But I have put it all behind me. And I want you to do the same, Jessy. I’m a changed person and have put behind me my rough past. I’m sorry for keeping it from you but I felt it might affect the way you feel about me. And I don’t want to lose you now that I have found you,” he stated.

    “No matter what my reaction might be, you should have still told me about it. I don’t feel good hearing about it from someone else,” I grumbled.

    “I know, dear. It was bad of me. Please forgive me,” he pleaded earnestly. He sounded really contrite and my resolve to take a break from the relationship, to cool things a bit, died at that moment.

    At that point, I realized I was in love with him and the thought of leaving him at that stage was unthinkable. He had become an important part of my life and I just could not leave him then. Besides, as he had pointed out, it was all in the past and he was a changed person. So, who was I to judge him based on things in his life that happened years before I met him, I reasoned.

    ***

    Instead of breaking us up, the issue of his past brought Kel and I closer. Though very busy because of his job, Kel nonetheless created time to be with me. Most times, we would go on some outings like parties or visiting friends or just stay at home chilling. At a point, I was spending more time at his apartment than in my own place and Trina began to complain about my long absence from home.

    “I never knew when you started seeing Kel that he was going to snatch my best friend away from me,” she said one Saturday morning at our flat.

    “What did you say? Who is snatching who?” I asked, looking at her wonderingly.

    “Is that not what he has done? I hardly see you these days! I’m practically living alone in this house because you are never around,” she stated.

    “Ha, ha ha! You are funny Trina! Nobody snatched me from you. You will remain my friend till eternity,” I assured her.

    “It’s easy for you to say. I don’t even see much of you now. What will happen when you two get married?” she queried.

    “Who’s talking about marriage? Anyway, wait till that time comes. Stop stressing yourself now over that,” I told her.

    “I have to. You are my best friend. Until your Kel came and has taken over your life. Now we hardly see,” she said in a grumbling tone.

    “I know your problem. You are just jealous!”

    “Jealous ke? I’m just saying the truth. And the truth is that he’s nothing but a best friend snatcher!” she declared.

    I laughed and went to my room to get my dirty clothes for washing. I wanted to finish all my chores that morning as Kel was coming round in the afternoon to take me out to some where ‘special’ as he had put it…

     

    To be continued

    We welcome comments/suggestions from readers. All correspondence should be sent to 08023201831(sms only), psaduwa@yahoo.com or psaduwa007@gmail.com

     

    Names have been changed to protect the identity of Jessica and other individuals in the story

     

     

  • Eminent judges, lawyers pay tributes to Oyo CJ

    Eminent members of the Bar and Bench as well as Muslim leaders have paid tributes to the late Chief Judge of Oyo State, Justice Mashood Olayiwola Adio, at a eighth-day Fidau prayer in his honour.

    They described him as an enigma in the judiciary and pillar of truth.

    The Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheikh Suarau Haruna, who led the prayer in Ibadan, the state capital, listed five conditions that Muslim faithful must observe while alive to give them free passage to Aljanah (paradise).

    The Imam stressed the need for strong faith in the worship of God.

    He also urged adherents to use their position to do good, adding that they should always  be builders and not destroyers.

    Sheikh Haruna enjoined Muslims to make amends  while still alive and live a pious life

    He reviewed the life and times of the late justice and concluded that “the deceased was a judicial officer who lived an exemplary life worthy of emulation.”

    He said: “Justice Adio abhorred corruption and self-seeking tendencies throughout his life time. Life will be meaningful only when we all learn to live in self-contentment and take into consideration the Day of Judgment, when we will give account of all our earthly deeds.

    “We should also take notice of all the unfolding developments in the world, which are enough lessons for human beings that the end times are here.

    “We should, therefore, endeavour to live Godly life taking into cognisance that whatever we do here on earth, will live after us.”

    In their tributes, the legal luminaries present were also unanimous in their submissions that the late Justice Adio brought tremendous transformation to the Oyo State judiciary during his short, but landmark tenure of office.

    Among the eminent judges and lawyers present at the event were Justice Mojeed Owoade of the Court of Appeal; Justice Badejoko Adeniji, former Chief Judge of Oyo State; and Justice Olagoke Ige.

    Others were Justices Solomon Akinteye; Mojeed Ishola; Bayo Ganiyu; Eni Esan; A. A. Aderemi; O. Boade; Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN; Chief Niyi Akintola, SAN; Mr. Tunde Aiku, SAN and Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN.

  • ‘Paradise’ll be incomplete without Aturu’

    ‘Paradise’ll be incomplete without Aturu’

    The late Bamidele Aturu was a great reformer and believed in the equality of all humans, irrespective of caste, colour or religion.

    He was a man who believed in the universal ideals of morality and ethics. His life too was a continuous struggle to achieve “universal suffrage” for his people. Although his struggles were confined to Nigeria he held a world view that he incessantly toiled to implement in Nigeria. He saw Nigeria as a hotbed of rampant and insatiable corruption that must be redeemed at any cost.

    His life was so simple that he could almost be termed a Christian hermit, a Hindu sadu, a Buddhist monk or a Muslim dervish interchangeably. He lived to work and though he was a very loving husband and an extremely affectionate and caring father; the church and the office were his places of worship. Not too long ago he visited me at my home in Dubai and throughout most of his stay he continued to fast on a daily basis even though it was not Lent.

    He dreamed of the non-violent Ghandisation of Nigeria; he dreamed of the Martin Luther King dream for Nigeria; he dreamed of the Khumaynisation (the great Iranian revolutionary who brought Iran back from being the 51st State of the U.S. to being a truly independent nation) of Nigeria; he aspired to Mandelaise (the great anti-apartheid freedom fighter and father of modern South Africa) Nigeria.

    Together we witnessed Nigerian politicians, civil servants and judges squander untold wealth on the streets of London and Dubai, wealth that had clearly been gluttoned from the resources of Nigeria, wealth that was the natural birthright of every Nigerian man, woman and child. We both were irretrievably saddened by the sickly sights and our hearts bled. Maybe the accumulation of the struggle as the defender of the rights of the downtrodden and the sheer helplessness at the sight of these bandits took its toll on Bamidele. He was merely forty-nine and fit as a fiddle.

    Bamidele was truly a multi-faceted man and was far ahead of his time. The loss of such a magnanimous figure should and must be mourned by one and all in Nigeria. The government should honour him as a true emancipator and a champion of the people.

    I still stand in disbelief that Bamidele is no more, the good Christian that I knew has left us and I hold my hands up to Allah and say, “O’ Allah do not grant to me the Paradise that does not have Bamidele Aturu in it..”

     

    •Bukhari, the late Aturu’s associate and client, wrote from Dubai, United Arab Emirate

     

     

  • Living in a fool’s paradise

    IT was Bimpe’s birthday, and Wale decided to give her a wonderful treat. He bought all her outfits, accessories and took care of all the other details. Friends were invited to this memorable event and he thought it was a great way to convince the babe that he really loved her.

    Unfortunately, things did not just work out as planned: the birthday gal and some of her friends who were the typical,’ bad gals’ changed the agenda. Some of her other friends were brought into the arrangement a few days to the D-day and they hijacked the ceremony.

    At this point, our dear friend realised that he was not as important as he thought he was on her emotional scale of preference. Oh dear! Why didn’t anyone warn him about all this? How come he never knew that his ‘baby’ was cheating on him?

    Frustrated, he left the party midway because every moment spent made him realise that he had been a fool all this while. His heart was very heavy indeed, and in his belly you could feel the emotional animosity that he was carrying in pains.

    No need to cry sweetheart: It is only an eye opener and it would make you wake up and plan for something better. Most times, a lot of guys and babes get carried away with the emotional gesticulations and display. You need to look beyond the physical and do some assessment of your worth from time to time.

    You also need to understand what goes through a person’s mind when they are feeling attraction for you. What really are the criteria for selecting you and not another? Is it because you have a good job, work very hard, are pretty cute or a really kind and easy going person.

    Time definitely will certainly tell…But before you allow the odds to catch up with you, you may need to do a quick survey. A sincere partner naturally should smile to the emotional bank after working so hard to make a relationship work. Yes, sometimes this is the result of dedication, hard work and perseverance. But there are times when you put in so much and you get so little in return.

    It happens especially when the person that you put all your hopes and dreams upon is insincere. From the outset, he or she has it all worked out, and foolishly you tagged along until the emotional carpet is pulled off your feet in a very rude way.

    Just last week, yours truly ran into a story that brings tears to the eyes on the Internet. It’s actually about a young man dubbed the “Internet Casanova” for breaking hearts online. He ran out of luck and his bag of emotional tricks was turned upside down. Now, the handsome Casanova is facing charges for not just stealing women’s hearts but also their money.

    The 29-year-old man scammed and robbed 38 women in at least seven states while giving different identities as Ray Holycross, Ray Cross and Ray Tompson.

    He was arraigned last Saturday in an Indiana courtroom on one-count charge of theft, accused of stealing the camera of Theresa Bridegroom, a woman from Mishawaka, Indiana.

    So how did he do this, you wonder? Police informed that Holycross spent years logging onto dating websites to meet women before moving in with them and then stealing from them.

    Bridegroom, 35, began dating Holycross in last September. Police arrested him at the apartment they shared after Bridegroom discovered he pawned her camera and turned him in.”That’s when I found out all the information about all of the websites and dating sites,” she said.

    Holycross is also wanted in Oregon on two counts stemming from an identity theft charge.”I think he relies on girls that he meets on the Internet to provide him with what he needs to get through life,” Lt. Michael Budreau of the Medford Police Department in Oregon told ” Good Morning America” in August when the first report of his alleged fraud emerged.

    The next victim was Jennifer Clark. This unfortunate ‘mugun’ met Holycross on the online dating site PlentyofFish.com. She was smitten and the two lovebirds quickly moved in together.”We lived together in my house and I decided I wanted to help him. Once he captured her heart, the next thing was to convince her to sell her home and her car. Love struck lady agreed to do the wish of this prince charming and he also promised to take her to Chicago.

    The emotional coast was very clear and he took her laptop and iPhone, withdrew nearly $1,000 from her bank account, and then vanished. Just like that! “He made me feel like he was going to take care of me and, instead, I was left with absolutely nothing,” Clark recalls sadly.

    Was she really stupid or could it be love? “He was extremely charming and convincing and, looking back at myself, I feel foolish.”Many of the women who met Holycross online told a similar story. They said he was an online charmer who took off with their cash once they let him into their lives and homes.