Six months ago, Nicky Oakley was preparing to move into a four-bedroom Victorian home in Cheshire with her partner and three children, expecting it to be the start of a new chapter for her family. Instead, she now faces the prospect of losing the property due to a series of fraudulent actions allegedly committed by her former employer and longtime friend, James Kenny.

Oakley was unaware that she carried a six-figure debt secured against her previous home, which was in the process of being repossessed following Kenny’s default on loans. According to Oakley, Kenny forged her signature on court documents and fabricated emails from solicitors in an effort to conceal his financial misconduct. She initially assumed the debts were settled after receiving false confirmation of repayment, only to discover the paperwork was fraudulent after a court repossession order was issued.

The dispute traces back to 2023 when Oakley, seeking employment after a contract ended, reconnected with Kenny, who claimed to be launching a pirate-themed festival promising substantial financial backing. Kenny offered her a director of operations role with a competitive salary and bonus. However, he asked Oakley to act as guarantor for loans totaling around £200,000, using her home as collateral, asserting the funds were necessary to initiate the project pending a lottery grant.

Oakley says she reviewed the loan documents carefully and was shown a purported letter confirming the grant, which she later learned was fabricated. When loan repayments fell into default, Kenny assured her the issues were temporary and that the grant was simply delayed. After being denied the grant due to fraud checks, Kenny persuaded Oakley to guarantee a second bridging loan to cover the first, further increasing her financial exposure.

The situation escalated in mid-2025 when Oakley’s legal representative uncovered that the debt clearance letters and solicitor communications were fake, and that her signature had been forged on a court order consenting to repossession. This revelation came just days before Oakley and her partner were set to sell their previous home and move.

Further investigation disclosed Kenny’s history of fraud; in 2007, he received a suspended sentence for forging his wife’s signature on mortgage documents. Oakley also identified at least four other women who claim to have lost money after working with Kenny. Despite reporting the matter to Merseyside Police and the national fraud reporting service, no criminal action has been taken against him. A spokesperson for Merseyside Police confirmed the report had not been forwarded for investigation, and the fraud reporting service indicated the case had not been assigned to a police force.

In May 2025, Oakley appeared in court seeking to prevent repossession, but the judge ruled in favor of the lender, citing Oakley’s legal standing as guarantor regardless of her subsequent claims of deception. Oakley has since appealed the decision, arguing the repossession order was invalid due to the forged signature. She has also established a crowdfunding page to cover mounting legal fees.

Kenny is reported to have retained over £200,000 from the loans and has denied involvement when confronted. He is believed to be residing in France and has not responded publicly to requests for comment.

Oakley expressed deep distress over the ordeal, saying, “I feel like such an idiot for falling for his lies, but I trusted him implicitly.” She emphasized her priority remains securing a home for her children while pursuing justice.