Post by Scumhunter on Nov 12, 2015 12:53:06 GMT -5
(Above photo credit: unsolved.com)
Fugitive Profile as of November 12th, 2015: (based on Unsolved Mysteries website)
Gender: Male
DOB: 1/9/54
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 180 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Brown
Defining Characteristics: Born in London; speaks with British accent, and is fluent in Italian and French. Smokes Dunhill cigarettes; likes designer clothes, expensive food, fine wines, expensive cars like Mercedes Benz sports car
TIPS: Anyone with information on this case should contact the Unsolved Mysteries website: unsolved.com/content/tips
Alleged con artist Jonathan Kern was aired on the September 27th, 1996 episode of Unsolved Mysteries. He has also been aired on AMW. Below is the Unsolved wikia description of the case:
Details: Jonathan Kern is a con-artist and another Sweetheart Swindler who has been working since 1989. He wines and dines unsuspecting women throughout Europe, the whole time impersonating race car driver Jonathan Palmer, then robs his lady friends of money he never intends to pay back. In the process, he racks up bills and fees all in the real Palmer's name. In October of 1994, he went to America and met Elizabeth Grzeszczyk at a Miami hotel. Elizabeth had her doubts at first that Jonathan was the famous race car driver, as she knew some information about the man, but when she saw his passport, she was certain that he was Palmer. Another person impressed by "Palmer" was a car dealer who gave him a $78,000 Jaguar free of charge to use while in town.
In fact, everyone at the hotel believed that Kern was Palmer. Then, one week later, Kern left without paying any of his $3000 bill. Eventually, Elizabeth invited Kern to come and live in her Milford, Connecticut home. Kern began to focus on her money, and convinced her to accept a personal check drawn on an Italian bank for $8000. But when the check cleared, Elizabeth's doubts subsided. Kern often took trips to Manhattan in a $125,000 Mercedes lent to him by a local dealer, and also carried Elizabeth's ATM card. One day, Kern claimed that his wallet was stolen, so Elizabeth told him to use the money on the card, which he soon took all of. When Kern returned, Elizabeth had a change of heart and told him to leave, and when she called the phone numbers on her bill, the people said they didn't know Jonathan Palmer. Then, Elizabeth learned that Kern had been romancing other women while the two were together.
Finally, a year after Elizabeth's bank cleared the check from Kern, the bank learned that the check was no good. The swindling by Kern cost Elizabeth $15,000, so she was forced to file bankruptcy. Authorities are certain that Elizabeth was not Kern's first, nor last victim, and that he is continuing his scam in other places. He is wanted for forgery, felony criminal impersonation, and larceny."
Thoughts? I apologize as I believe this case was on Machete's master list so amazingly we did one more case after all. I should mention Kern was technically captured. However, it was in France in 1997 and he was released before he could serve his time. One message board suggests he served time in France on similar charges, but according to Unsolved wikia, he still has active warrants for him in Connecticut, which is why I'm making a thread for him, as he is technically a fugitive. Whether anything can be done about those warrants is unfortunately another story.
unsolved.com/archives/jonathan-kern
unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Johnathan_Kern (UPDATE: As of July 23rd, 2018, Unsolved Mysteries Wiki still has this case as unresolved and says there are outstanding warrants for Kern in Connecticut.
www.sitcomsonline.com/boards/showthread.php?t=50680
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