Revealed: The vital hidden signs an Aussie man MISSED when he left $2million to a mysterious online lover – who never existed
Australians dating online have been warned to check their sweetheart is actually real after a Melbourne man left his $2million estate to a lover who never existed.
William Ian Southey died aged 73 on October 11, 2022, leaving a will that named his online ‘partner’, Kyle Stuart Jackson, as executor.
Mr Southey turned to online relationships after the death of his partner of four decades, linking up with Jackson in early 2022, and had intended to marry him.
But in December, the Victorian Supreme Court concluded Jackson did not exist.
The legal decision followed an application by Mr Southey’s ex-wife Kaye Moseley for a court to decide if Jackson existed after solicitors could not verify his identity.
‘I am satisfied that the person named [in the will] as Kyle Stuart Jackson does not exist in the manner understood by the deceased, or at all,’ Associate Judge Caroline Anne Goulden found in December.
KHQ Lawyers’ Rachael Hocking, who represented Ms Moseley, Mr Southey’s wife between 1976 and 1989, told the Daily Mail the case serves as a dire warning to many.
‘These issues pop up time and time again, but I am very concerned that we’ll see lots more now, particularly with online relationships,’ she said.
Melbourne man William Ian Southey (pictured with his ex-wife Kaye Moseley) died at 73 years old on October 11, 2022, leaving a will that named his ‘partner’ Kyle Stuart Jackson as executor
While following the probate process, his ex-wife Kaye Moseley (pictured) discovered that Jackson did not exist – which was confirmed by Victoria’s Supreme Court in December
‘We see a lot in financial scams; people with vulnerabilities or disabilities transferring money overseas.
‘But now, this case has shown that it’s actually even progressed to being nominated as a potential beneficiary under a will as well.
‘The only method of communication was online, so (Jackson and Mr Southey) had never met. It was wholly online, which obviously causes some difficulties.’
Judge Goulden’s findings revealed Jackson was not only the nominated executor of the will, but also sole beneficiary of the estate – which included Mr Southey’s home in the Melbourne suburb of Kew, which was sold for $2.5 million.
‘We couldn’t identify him so we couldn’t have him involved in the administration process, and we couldn’t have the estate distributed to him either,’ Ms Hocking said.
From Mr Southey’s death in 2022 up to 2024, solicitors tried to verify Jackson’s identity via phone calls, emails, attempted Zoom video calls and through a passport that a private detective confirmed was fraudulent.
Judge Goulden found the person using Jackson’s email only responded irregularly to communication and an address he gave had no trace of anyone with his name.
Ms Hocking’s team also made enquiries into a cheque made payable to Jackson for $1.3million, for the purchase of two Jean Basquiat paintings, which was found among Mr Southey’s personal effects.
Mr Southey (pictured) had connected with Jackson online in early 2022 but they never met in person. The court heard he had considered they might marry
In 2023, Toronto-Dominion Bank confirmed the cheque ‘wasn’t valid and would not clear if presented for payment’, the court heard.
‘We were really restricted (as) Jackson refused to meet with us online or over the telephone,’ Ms Hocking said.
‘The investigations were very time-consuming and very expensive for the estate to actually go through that process.’
Asked how much the process cost Ms Moseley, the solicitor could not confirm as the amount was not shared in court, but she said the sum was a ‘considerable expense’, which the judge ordered to be paid from the estate.
But the lengthy process also took an emotional toll on Ms Moseley, who was close friends with Mr Southey following their separation in 1989 after 13 years of marriage.
‘(It’s hard) for a lot of family members that find themselves in difficult situations like this,’ Ms Hocking said.
‘They are grieving the loss of a loved one and, in this case, it was a very, very close personal friend for many years.
‘And then they have to deal with a very complex legal process and, of course, because Kaye was the executor of the estate, she had to be impartial… and this was very personal for her and for a number of other friends around William, so it was incredibly difficult.’
Ms Moseley’s solicitor, Rachael Hocking (pictured) is concerned Australians will see similar cases – and advised those in online relationships to take care verifying their partner’s identity
Ms Hocking said there are warning signs Australians can pay attention to if producing a will – or other legal document – that includes an online partner.
‘If all communication is solely online, if there are no video calls, no telephone number or residential address, it becomes very difficult,’ she said.
‘I haven’t been in the situation personally but, if you’re engaging in a relationship with someone, it would be very unusual for you to say, ‘I’ve got to verify your identity before we can take any further steps’ because that would usually happen organically.
‘If you are meeting someone online, you have to take those extra precautions to make sure the person you believe you are speaking with is, in fact, that person.’
Another way Australians can protect themselves is by seeking ‘proper financial and legal advice about their estate planning’, Ms Hocking added.
‘We know some of the warning signs that we can actually spot and assist clients to hopefully avoid these situations.’
