Fraudster’s jet-set ‘life’ out of step with his reality
A fraudster, described as a ‘Walter Mitty’ character by a judge posted snaps on himself enjoying luxury trips he had fraudulently booked. Jason Evans looks at his high-end lifestyle
THESE photographs show a fraudster who booked £44,000 of holidays using stolen travel agents’ pass codes living the high life of yachts and business class flights.
Adam Griffiths stole the codes from agents in Swansea then went globe-trotting – posting images of his adventures online on Instagram as he went.
The pictures show the 30-year-old in exotic locations including Singapore and Dubai as well as mixing with famous faces such as Spanish footballer Fernando Torres. The images are all a far cry from his modest council home in Swansea.
On Friday Griffiths was jailed for two-and-a-half years after pleading guilty to three counts of fraud involving stolen computer pass codes from the Tui and Burgess travel agents in Swansea. Swansea Crown Court heard how Griffiths claimed to have worked for a private military contractor, said he was involved in counter-terrorism and had fought socalled Islamic State, and pretended to have links to Scotland Yard. He also has convictions for impersonating police officers.
Sending him down, a judge described him as a “Walter Mitty character” – a reference to the eponymous character in the James Thurber novel who leads a fantasy life.
Part of Griffiths’ make-believe life involved projecting an image on social media of a high-flyer travelling to exotic places and meeting famous people – usually with magnums of Champagne or trendy vodka.
One of the photographs shows him relaxing aboard a private yacht off Dubai, which he is understood to have hired for the day, with the exclusive Burj al Arab seven-star hotel in the background.
Another snap shows him taking in the sights in Singapore while another sees him posing for a selfie with former Liverpool and Chelsea striker Fernando Torres while flying first class.
Travelling in style features a couple of times in Griffiths’ social media posts including one image of him jetting home from Dubai in business class – this Instagram post came complete with the hashtags #LuxLife #Champagne #JetSet.
Elsewhere on Instagram he posted a photograph of airport cocktails on the way to North Africa.
A bit closer to home, Griffiths, of Penlan in Swansea, also boasted on Twitter about having “one of the best suites” at the Celtic Manor resort near Newport – and posted a picture of himself with seven bottles of Moet Champagne.
At his sentencing hearing his advocate Andrew Evans said his client may have “self-worth” issues and seemed to need to create a persona that was respected and admired.
He said Griffiths had had a difficult background and “feels a desperate need to be accepted” and to be an authority figure or even an heroic figure in eyes of others.
Sending him to prison for the travel agent frauds, Judge Geraint Walters described Griffiths as “something of a Walter Mitty character” who lived a persona far removed from the reality of his real life.