Women in multiple Tennessee cities say they loaned or gave large sums that were never repaid; the man denies wrongdoing.
NASHVILLE, TN — A Nashville man is accused by women across Tennessee of taking their money under the guise of romantic relationships and business promises, leaving some out tens of thousands of dollars and others alleging losses that reach into the millions. The claims, detailed in lawsuits and interviews, stretch from Middle Tennessee to other parts of the state and beyond.
The allegations matter now because the number of women stepping forward has grown, drawing attention from consumer agencies and law enforcement amid a wider spike in romance-related fraud. The man at the center of the claims has surfaced in court filings and broadcast investigations. He has denied wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime in the cases described here. Civil suits in Davidson County seek repayments and judgments. At the same time, federal officials report rising losses tied to online and relationship scams, underscoring the financial and emotional toll on victims and the difficulty of recovering money once it is moved.
In complaints reviewed by reporters, women describe a strikingly similar pattern: they met the man socially or online, began dating, and soon received messages asking for short-term help — money for rent, business costs, or emergencies — along with written promises to pay it back. Several say those requests escalated into larger transfers over weeks and months. One woman documented regular payments alongside text messages that referenced being “in survival mode” and needing thousands for “absolute necessary needs.” Another said she extended what she believed was a one-time loan that ballooned into tens of thousands of dollars. A Kentucky woman who dated him described falling in love and later realizing she was not alone; others told reporters that after they compared notes, they learned of overlapping relationships and similar requests. The man did not respond to multiple follow-up calls and texts seeking comment for this story; in a previous interaction with a TV crew, he took a microphone and insisted the reporting was wrong.
Records show at least two women obtained promissory notes bearing the man’s name, with repayment schedules that were not met. A Davidson County Chancery Court filing from one woman says she loaned $50,000 and was never repaid; another woman received a civil judgment for more than $25,000, which she says has grown with interest after nonpayment. Other women, in interviews, described giving “tens of thousands of dollars” and never seeing it again. In a separate Middle Tennessee case not directly tied to the dating allegations, police accused a Franklin man of stealing hundreds of thousands in cash and cryptocurrency from his ex-girlfriend, illustrating how quickly large sums can vanish once trust is exploited. Consumer tallies reflect the broader scale: Tennesseans reported nearly $15 million in romance-scam losses in the first half of last year, with totals often understated because many victims do not file complaints. What investigators have not detailed, and what remains a key unknown, is the precise statewide dollar figure tied to the Nashville man’s alleged pattern; the amount is disputed, varies by case, and is still being tallied through civil litigation.
The accusations have followed the man beyond Tennessee. Women from other states say they encountered the same pitch — a successful entrepreneur in need of short-term help — and similar requests for cash, transfers, and credit card payments. Broadcast investigations over the last two years showed selfies and videos he sent to multiple women, clips shot from a downtown condo, along with messages about poker nights and bills due. After one televised report, the man filed for bankruptcy, which complicated efforts by at least one creditor to collect on a judgment. A recent streaming docuseries devoted two episodes to the allegations, featuring Tennessee accusers and financial records they kept, though the series does not represent official findings. In interviews, the women say they want repayment and a warning on the record so others do not experience similar losses. “He gets you to buy into his dream,” one woman said, describing how affection, constant contact, and promises blurred into requests for money.
Civil procedure is now the main arena. In Nashville, plaintiffs have asked a judge to enforce promissory notes and award damages. Court calendars list status checks in the coming weeks as lawyers trade discovery requests, seek bank records, and line up potential witnesses. Attorneys familiar with fraud recovery say the money trail often runs through personal accounts, payment apps, and short-lived businesses, making it harder to claw back funds quickly. Federal prosecutors in East Tennessee, in an unrelated romance-fraud case, recently won prison sentences and restitution orders against three defendants whose scheme ended with an elderly victim’s death — a reminder, they said, of how severe these cases can become. Whether the Nashville allegations will move from civil court into a criminal investigation is unknown. Police agencies contacted for this story either declined to comment or said they could not confirm any active probe tied to the man.
In Nashville and nearby suburbs, the claims have also become part of the city’s social-media churn. Some accusers formed group chats to compare timelines and payments; others posted warnings when the man appeared at popular bars or poker rooms. A security guard at a downtown high-rise told a TV crew he had not seen the man on the day reporters visited, a small example of how the story has intersected with public places and bystanders. On camera, one woman summed up the fallout in a short sentence: “I loaned him my savings, and I got excuses.” Another called the experience “an addiction,” saying she struggled to pull back even as requests continued. Their accounts describe the emotional sting as much as the financial one — the embarrassment of telling family, the stress of debt payments, the time spent in court.
As of Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, the man has not been charged in the civil matters described here, and repayment remains disputed. The next scheduled court activity in Nashville is expected later this month, when attorneys plan to update a judge on discovery and any settlement talks.
Author note: Last updated January 10, 2026.