He paid £30,000 for his two children - then it turned out they don't exist

A British man paid approximately £30,000 over two years to support his two alleged children, until it was revealed in court that the children were never born. His partner admitted she lied about the pregnancies as revenge, and the judge ruled he was the victim of a "sustained and sophisticated campaign of deception."

A man from Britain, John, paid approximately £30,000 over two years to support his two alleged children, until it was revealed in court that the children were never born. His partner, Jane, told him she had given birth to their two children, sent photos and updates, and later claimed she sold them for £500. John approached the family court in an attempt to find out what happened to the children and gain parental responsibility. In the hearing, Jane admitted the children do not exist and claimed she lied as revenge over allegations that John harmed her and her son. The judge did not rule that the abuse claims were proven. The judge found a series of details that reinforced the conclusion that the children were never born: no matching records were found on Jane's phone, no registrations of the children with authorities, and bank account movements indicated that on one of the days she claimed to have given birth, she visited a tanning salon. In the ruling, the judge determined that the most likely explanation is that the two children did not exist and that John was the victim of a "sustained and sophisticated campaign of deception." The judge noted that a financial motive may exist, given the sums she received, and that her mental state may also have played a role.