Monmouth County Man Swindled Woman Out of $80K: Police

WEST LONG BRANCH, NJ — A man with West Long Branch ties swindled a Georgia woman he met online out of more than $80,000 before ghosting her, police said. John Martin Hill was charged with theft by deception, according to police.

Hill has changed his name more than five times in three years, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The man, then named Gregory Hill, was arrested in New Jersey with three outstanding warrants and charged with three counts of theft by deception in 2011. Read more: West Long Branch Police Arrest Scam Artist

The scam impacted several women who reported answering an advertisement for employment on Craigslist.com that sought subjects for immediate hire as an office receptionist, West Long Branch Police Capt. Larry Mihlon said in 2011. The ad specifically sought "young professional women" and promised an average of $15 an hour.

Hill set up interviews with several women seeking employment, taking their information and asking for cash up front. Hill claimed the money was necessary for several reasons, including background checks, work permits and a work cell phone, Mihlon said.

"Once the money was obtained by Hill from the women, he would give them a proposed start date of employment, but each woman reported that Hill soon stopped making contact with them," Mihlon said.

Police found Hill was using several office buildings in West Long Branch under false pretenses.

Eight years later, Hill told a woman he was a millionaire and convinced her they were in love, Gwinnett County (Georgia) police said. They interacted March 27 and met each other the same day.

Within a week of meeting on Match.com, they agreed to marry, according to police. They went house-hunting and found a home they both liked.

The cash was intended to go toward purchasing their first home and furniture. Once the money was exchanged, the woman did not hear from Hill again, police said. Along with Georgia and New Jersey, Hill is accused of similar crimes in Virginia, Delaware and Maryland, officials said.

Gwinnett County police announced May 21 that Hill had an active warrant for theft by deception, a felony. Since releasing that info, a few other women contacted Gwinnett County authorities that they were either in a relationship with Hill or knew someone romantically involved with him.

Authorities found Hill and arrested him May 22 at the Cool Springs Marriott in Franklin, Tennessee. Hill tried to evade Franklin police by darting into a hotel conference room and hiding under a table, officials said.

Hill was held in Williamson County Jail (Tennessee) on a $500,000 bond, as Georgia authorities worked out the details of his extradition.

"By sharing this story, it is our hope that he is not able to victimize any other women using this scam," Gwinnett County said in a statement. "When meeting someone online, be very cautious sharing personal information, financial information, or cash with someone in the early stages of a relationship. These types of con men are very good at manipulating their victims. They tend to say everything that a woman wants to hear."

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