# Warning regarding Big Bad John (John Melvin Hill)



## Mike Bobbitt

All,

It is with regret that I must inform you that former Army.ca member Big Bad John appears to have misstated some facts and led people astray. Many of the personal facts presented by John Hill (AKA Sean Hill) did not add up under scrutiny, and many claims he made seemed "too good to be true." Mr. Hill has recently erased all tracks of himself from this site.

If anyone still has contact with Mr. Hill, especially if financial or personal information is involved, I strongly urge you to proceed with caution. His last known e-mail addresses is tinmanjohn57@sympatico.ca, and he has been known to use cobhman@campus.ie previously.

John, if the information I have is somehow in error, you know how to contact me to set the record straight.


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## Infanteer

As an additional note to the membership, the Staff has been on to BigBadJohn for quite some time now.  So far, through informal, discreet searches we've drawn a blank on his claims.  However, do to his rather innocuous claims (none of the "I was a sniper and killed a division with my KFS" types that we are used to) and his claim of foreign service, we've been having trouble getting 100% verification through back-door, discrete checks.  We are now in the process of doing a public verification and should be able to fill out our case against this guy.

We were monitoring him and weren't really surprised when he pulled plug here.  We hope to solve this story once and for all in the near future, as BigBadJohn was a fairly active member here for some time.  This should serve as a warning to everyone to watch for those they meet on the internet (or in real life, as many of have), as they may not be all they are saying they are.

Stay tuned.

Infanteer.


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## George Wallace

As you can see, members sometimes try to hide their activities and identities:



			
				Mike Bobbitt said:
			
		

> All,
> 
> It is with regret that I must inform you that former Army.ca member Big Bad John appears to have misstated some facts and led people astray.



Previous records show his profile prior to his changes on departure:

Name:  big bad john 
Posts:  1,304 (2.415 per day) 
Position:  Army.ca Subscriber 
IP:  ##############
Hostname:  Ottawa-HSE-ppp264735.sympatico.ca 
Date Registered:  February 06, 2005, 17:16:27 
Last Active:  ##########

Rank: Retired Major 
Unit:   
MOC:   
Mil Exp:  23 years Royal Marines 

Notes:  Security clearence came through! In the Defense Industry. 
  
Email:  tinmanjohn57@sympatico.ca


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## Mike Bobbitt

Folks,

A year to the day after posting the original warning, I have an update. CTV's W-FIVE will be airing a piece on "cyber sharks" this Saturday, November 3rd at 1900 ET, and John Hill will be included in this segment.

I encourage everyone to watch and draw their own conclusions.


Cheers
Mike


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## Bruce Monkhouse

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/67032.0.html
 Oakville Meet & Greet - 3 NOVEMBER - THE KINGS ARMS

Gee, I wonder if the bar will mind if we shut off HNIC for W-5? ;D

Like Whiskey replied in Ottawa last spring when I asked what he that of his whole defence/ marines story?......."This guys a f#&*ing a@$hole!!"


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## PMedMoe

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/67032.0.html
> Oakville Meet & Greet - 3 NOVEMBER - THE KINGS ARMS
> 
> Gee, I wonder if the bar will mind if we shut off HNIC for W-5?



That's okay, Bruce, we can always catch it on CTV Broadband later.  I, for one, plan on watching it.


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## medaid

I know I will. Obviously our fearless leader Mr.Bobbit is in the know about something. As 0


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## career_radio-checker

Moe, Wasn't he at the Meet and Greet in Kingston this summer?


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## ArmyRick

This burns me. I asked questions regarding the Royal Marines and the vague answers he gave me were due to "operational security" wich is fine, i can accept it but to find out this asshat didn't even serve? Or am I missing the picture here?


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## Fishbone Jones

ArmyRick said:
			
		

> This burns me. I asked questions regarding the Royal Marines and the vague answers he gave me were due to "operational security" wich is fine, i can accept it but to find out this asshat didn't even serve? Or am I missing the picture here?



He MAY have served......somewhere, doing......something. I think there was talk he may have been a cook, not sure though.


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## 1feral1

Hey, and for us members who can't access this, could someone post an AAR to brief us, ha! Wouldn,t mind to catch the goss on this.

Cheers,

Wes


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## career_radio-checker

Wesley  Down Under said:
			
		

> Hey, and for us members who can't access this, could someone post an AAR to brief us, ha! Wouldn,t mind to catch the goss on this.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Wes



(seriousness of the matter aside)

Your AAR


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## Franko

I just saw him being accosted on CTV Newsnet during a commercial.

"So you didn't think you were destroying lives?" was the question ans he hurried away.

Made my stomach twist into a knot.

Regards


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## ArmyRick

Actually I think I have seen that clip as well. Is that him?


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## Franko

Yep....


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## NCRCrow

I am a little lost on this subject on BBJ?

He is on the news because of Army.ca?


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## 1feral1

What is thed latest poop on our resident poser??


Cheers,

Wes


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## JBoyd

Im with Crow on this one, I am really new to this site, but it sounds like this man lied alot to alot of people, including the news? If it isnt too much of a touchy subject can someone fill us new guys in one the full story?


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## navymich

Mike Bobbitt said:
			
		

> A year to the day after posting the original warning, I have an update.



Wow.  Amazing that a year has gone by already.  And thanks for the info on the show Mike.  I'm planning on being in Oakville at the meet, but will for sure try to catch it at some point.

As for the people that are out of the loop, I don't know what to say.  I mean, there are lots of us who could tell you all kinds of things, but my personal opinion is that you should watch the show if you're interested and as Mike said, draw your own conclusions.  I think saying much more by anyone would lead to alot more speculation and rumours and stories.  Not saying that it can all be wrong to talk about it, but it also dredges up some moments that some may prefer to leave alone.  To put it short, he was a regular on the site here, became a friend of many members of the boards and is now no longer a member.


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## PMedMoe

career_radio-checker said:
			
		

> Moe, Wasn't he at the Meet and Greet in Kingston this summer?



Definitely not!!! I believe you may have mistaken him for my friend, Bob.


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## JBoyd

airmich said:
			
		

> Wow.  Amazing that a year has gone by already.  And thanks for the info on the show Mike.  I'm planning on being in Oakville at the meet, but will for sure try to catch it at some point.
> 
> As for the people that are out of the loop, I don't know what to say.  I mean, there are lots of us who could tell you all kinds of things, but my personal opinion is that you should watch the show if you're interested and as Mike said, draw your own conclusions.  I think saying much more by anyone would lead to alot more speculation and rumours and stories.  Not saying that it can all be wrong to talk about it, but it also dredges up some moments that some may prefer to leave alone.  To put it short, he was a regular on the site here, became a friend of many members of the boards and is now no longer a member.



I understand, I have seen that type of situation before and I am sure I can kind of gather what may have happened. What kind of had me thrown is how this person would be covered in a show about 'cyber sharks?


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## Bruce Monkhouse

I wish I had printed [links long dead] some of his "Plenty-o-Fish" write-ups...........trust us, he's a "cyber shark."


EDIT: Ha!...not as dumb as I thought I was. [Did you all read Roy Hardings post about the long memory of some of the Mod staff here? >]

[1] and taken from a post,
MEETING SOMEONE OFFLINE...OMG A LITTLE SCARY....LOOK HERE
Posted: 2/2/2005 10:55:37 PM 
I just started to "talk" to a woman on this site last weekend. She lives about 1500 miles from me. I mentioned that I would be in her city next week on business, so we arranged to meet.

Now I work in IT, so I am online a lot. I started to get IM's from hotmail 10 or 12 times a day. Calls too. Then she started to question if I really was working or just avoiding her when I could not "chat". 

I have broken the date, and changed hotels. I do consulting work for the Canadian Military, so for the first time I am saying, Thank God for the MP's on the gate. :rofl:

Funny but weird. 


[2]
Finding out what you do for a living ceases conversation......
Posted: 1/25/2005 11:12:58 PM
I'm new here, but I've encountered the opposite. Up until 2 years ago I worked in "good" job at Microsoft. I mostly still hung around with people from my former profession (Royal Marines). When I'd go with these friends and we'd meet women. Some women would be very uninterested, because they thought that I was "just another bootneck" Once they found out I was at MS, some just fell over themselves trying to attract me.
Very pityful. If someone can't accept me for me...they have no interest for me.


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## JBoyd

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> [2]
> Finding out what you do for a living ceases conversation......
> Posted: 1/25/2005 11:12:58 PM
> I'm new here, but I've encountered the opposite. Up until 2 years ago I worked in "good" job at Microsoft. I mostly still hung around with people from my former profession (Royal Marines). When I'd go with these friends and we'd meet women. Some women would be very uninterested, because they thought that I was "just another bootneck" Once they found out I was at MS, some just fell over themselves trying to attract me.
> Very pityful. If someone can't accept me for me...they have no interest for me.



Personally I find this one ammusing , I would say they would most likely have not been attracted to him for personal apperance reasons, rather then previous job experience. It has been my experience that women tend to like the soldier type, due to a feeling of personal security, that and i dont know many women that does not appreciate a man in uniform. but that is just my experiences.


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## NCRCrow

My question is:

is there a link between Army.ca and Cybersharks (W5)?

I am so curious!~


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## navymich

HFXCrow said:
			
		

> is there a link between Army.ca and Cybersharks (W5)?



Hill was a member of army.ca and Hill is going to be in a segment on the show.  Enough of a link?


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## NCRCrow

NO way, us EW types are way too nosey!

enquiring minds want to know!


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## Franko

airmich said:
			
		

> Hill was a member of army.ca and Hill is going to be in a segment on the show.  Enough of a link?



That pretty much sums it up. As to his actions outside the site we have really no idea.

W5 is doing the story and did their homework on him. I'd say do as Mike asks....watch the program and draw your own conclusions.

Regards


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## NCRCrow

....setting reminder on digital cable for 03 Nov 07

The suspense!


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## JBoyd

Being curious as I am, i am most definately going to be tuning in to that show, and if i can watch it when it airs i will download it


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## Mike Bobbitt

I should point out that _to the best of my knowledge_ no Army.ca members were swindled in any way by John Hill. His targets seemed to be outside our community. I even got a $100 bottle of Lagavulin from him, and I've yet to hear of _first hand_ negative account. It could be that he was attempting to gain acceptance into this group to use it as a legitimizer for his targets. (E.G. "See, I'm ex-military, look at all the contacts I have," or something similar.)

I'm hoping the W-FIVE show will shed some light on his past for us.


Cheers
Mike


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## armyvern

Oh also beware if you are a Jewish American Single ... because besides "contracting for the Canadian Military"  : he's also a Jewish American Single!!!

Ladies ... this man is out there and has been active trolling as recently as 23 June on the below singles site. He does not limit himself to Plenty O Fish (what an interesting site that is ... I see people!!).


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## 3rd Herd

Gee Thanks Army Vern,
Here I thought he was back east with all the rest of you "doctorate's" and now he is using a Calgary AB location.


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## TN2IC

3rd Herd said:
			
		

> Gee Thanks Army Vern,
> Here I thought he was back east with all the rest of you "doctorate's" and now he is using a Calgary AB location.



It is amazing what you can put on the world wide web. He can be anywhere. Profiles can mean nothing.  ;D


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## Meridian

Vern;

Interesting... seems he moved out to Calgary AB!.... 

The ad you posted states his location as being Calgary AB,  but George's earlier posting of his profile shows that he was connecting through the Ottawa HSE (High Speed Edition - old name) Bell Sympatico DSLAMs.

Running?


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## Mike Bobbitt

Reminder: The W-FIVE segment covering John Hill airs tomorrow night at 1900 ET. I've seen a spot for it on CTV, it looks like it will be worth watching.


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## Ex-Dragoon

I just watched the segment and I have my own personal theory why he came to Army.Ca. I think in order for him to more aptly fit the profile of a Royal Marine Major, he came here so he could learn to talk the talk so to speak. My 2 cents.

John Melvin Hill, you are scum and I hope you never know a moment of peace for the rest of your worthless life.


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## Shec

Thanks ArmyVern for posting his singles profile above..  I couldn't help but chuckle when I read:



> Kosher?  Not At All



Yup.  Sums it up succinctly,  doesn't it?

Almost time to tune in W5.


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## ArmyRick

I am at work tonight so someone please put up what they have to say about him on W5. Please x 10, thanks in advance.


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## J.J

His excuse for doing committing the frauds, all the lies and different persona's he adopted, to quote him "_his way of dealing with his inadequacies_".

What a loser. The W5 show just confirmed it and let everyone else know what we knew already.


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## HItorMiss

Ex-Dragoon said:
			
		

> I just watched the segment and I have my own personal theory why he came to Army.ca. I think in order for him to more aptly fit the profile of a Royal Marine Major, he came here so he could learn to talk the talk so to speak. My 2 cents.
> 
> John Melvin Hill, you are scum and I hope you never know a moment of peace for the rest of your worthless life.




Agreed, he came here and sat with us to learn the lingo and how to act the part. I give him credit he researches well. I feel sorry the woman he has used to gain whatever it is he wanted from them at the time.

When I knew John he did good things but that does not make him a good man, nor does it excuse his actions before or after the fact. I am though glad that he set warning bells off for members of this board and that he was stopped on this board before causing a serious incident. And though I personally was not burned I am glad it has made me more aware of those who pose and what they are capable of. I no longer take people on what they say at face value about their military service.


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## Pea

This all just reaffirms why I spend a lot less time on the internet these days. It's way too easy to pretend to be someone you're not.


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## Shec

Said he does it because of his "inadequacies".  Well,  at least that was probably the truth.  :


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## Big Foot

John Melvin Hill, you make me sick. You disgrace my Irish ancestory, you disgrace my Calgary roots and you are a disgrace to the entire human race. I hope that the rest of your life is long and fruitless, suffering many of the same things that you have put these poor women through. Moreover, I am disgusted that you would come in here, gain the trust of so many people here, lie to so many people here and to what end? So that you could bilk innocent people with your bullshit stories. In a quote befitting your alleged Irish background, I offer you this from the Irish rebel song Nell Flaherty's Drake:


> May his pipe never smoke,
> may his teapot be broke,
> and to add to the joke
> may his kettle not boil,
> may he lay in the bed
> 'till the moment he's dead
> may he always be fed on lob-scouse and fish oil,
> may he swell with the gout,
> may his grinders fall out,
> may he roar, bawl and shout,
> with the horrid toothache.
> May his temples wear horns,
> and all his toes corns,
> The monster that is John Melvin Hill.


I hope that the rest of your life is long, pointless and fruitless, filled with the same pain and suffering which you have inflicted on others, you disgusting son of a bitch.

Edited to add: for all those interested, watch the segment here: http://www.ctv.ca/wfive Risky Business Part One


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## George Wallace

Just watched it.  Seems he has been a Conman for over thirty years now and has been convicted.  Was interesting to see that he was a guest on a Calgary morning TV show as a 'chef'.  

I thought that the W5 Crew really nailed him well in that Calgary street cafe.   I sort of chuckled at the list of degrees and accreditation's he passed off as having, and then said the RM paid for his education.  Not bad for a 6 year stint.

I do wonder how long his face will remain in the public eye though.  How soon will he find another woman or organization to prey on?  I do doubt he stayed in Calgary much after that engagement with the W5 Crew though.  Where is he now?


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## Franko

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Where is he now?



I'm sure we'll find out in the next few minutes.....


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## Franko

Take a boo at Irishlad6633.....

http://ballsinyourcourt.com/online_now.php?sex=M&page=39&SHOWNUM=16

Regards


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## the 48th regulator

*W-FIVE: Risky Business*

*Updated Fri. Nov. 2 2007 11:07 AM ET

W-FIVE Staff*

Liz Cole, who sought companionship online, speaks with W-FIVE.

John Hill became involved with Liz Cole and proposed marriage within weeks of their first Internet exchange.

From 1999 to 2005, Kolten Mastronardi met women on Internet-dating sites.

W-FIVE: Risky Business
Updated Fri. Nov. 2 2007 11:07 AM ET

W-FIVE Staff

Millions of Canadians use Internet-dating sites to look for love. Some find their mates, some find disappointment. And some find something far more dangerous - con artists and sex predators lurking in the shadows of cyberspace.

Last year, Liz Cole emerged from a nasty divorce and sought companionship online. It didn't take long to find her first suitor. His name was John Hill. 







Hill said all the right things to Cole. And within weeks of their first Internet exchange, Hill proposed marriage. On the night before their engagement party, he asked Cole for a $1,200 down payment on a car. Cole told Hill that she didn't have that kind of money. 

The next day, Hill didn't show up to their engagement party, leaving Cole and her daughters confused and distraught. Cole started to suspect that everything Hill had told her was a lie.

"You may not recognize it, but you know you're being victimized on some level - and I knew it."

What Cole didn't know yet was that Hill had a criminal history stretching back almost thirty years. He had multiple convictions for theft, fraud and assault.

While an online predator like John Hill strikes at the heart or the pocketbook, some strike to maim. One of the worst is Kolten Mastronardi.

From 1999 to 2005, Mastronardi met women on Internet-dating sites. He's been convicted in Ontario and British Columbia, of theft, extortion, assault and sexual assault, involving more than a dozen women he met online.

One woman was forced to have tattooed on her stomach, "Property of Kolten Mastronardi." Mastronardi told another woman that family tradition insisted that he strike her twenty times while she was stripped naked and tied down.

Mastronardi is now behind bars. The Crown Attorney has applied to have him declared a dangerous offender.

But Kolten Mastronardi and John Hill are not the only criminals cruising online dating sites. True.com is a Texas-based online dating company that conducts background screenings to keep criminals off its website. True.com says that it's turned away 35,000 people this year alone. 

In the U.S., politicians like Florida's Rep. Kevin Ambler are pushing Internet-dating companies to post prominent warnings about online risks.

"You have people that are wearing their heart on their sleeves - they reveal all kinds of personal details about themselves," says Ambler. "This becomes a playground for predators to go in there and be able to mine that data."

Ambler's proposed law is being fought by the Internet-dating industry. But while Americans are at least debating legislation - in Canada, neither Ottawa nor the provinces are doing anything to pressure Internet-dating companies to increase their level of safety. 

Which means there's no protection for those who're surfing for love from the likes of John Hill or Kolten Mastronardi.  

Video of W5 can be seen here


dileas

tess


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## Bruce Monkhouse

I was morbidally chuckling inside when they mentioned about selling off women's stuff.....somewhere in the CP I still have him selling stuff online in Ottawa when he was hanging around.


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## Franko

More info on him posing on ARRSE....goes by the name of cobhman.

http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=12711.html

It never ends....

Regards


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## TN2IC

Wow.... googling "cobhman" and see what you get.  ;D


Edit for spelling

 Google Result


Thailand I guess....


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## George Wallace

Well.  I must admit, several of us did meet him in Ottawa at Darcy McGee's.   My first known face to face with a 'real' Con artist.  He did turn on the charm.  He did some very touching things for HitorMiss and the others when they returned from Afghanistan and were in hospital in Ottawa.  He got in good with the padre.  He really was something.  Warning Bells were going off during his stay here on Army.ca, and now we know why with the W5 exposee.


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## CdnArtyWife

He can also be found here too:

http://www.cyclingforums.com/archive/index.php/t-22-p-115.html

The whole saga is very interesting indeed.


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## TN2IC

I got one on facebook.. but the profile is un-viewable... unless I add him as a friend. Nah...

But here is his friend's list... mostly girl...


The Facebook List


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## X-mo-1979

I feel bad for him.He has mental issues.


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## CdnArtyWife

Sgt  Schultz said:
			
		

> I got one on facebook.. but the profile is un-viewable... unless I add him as a friend. Nah...
> 
> But here is his friend's list... mostly girl...
> 
> 
> The Facebook List



Hehe, I was half tempted to "add him", figuring he wouldn't pass up a chance to add another chick...but like you said....nah!

 :boring:


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## HItorMiss

*9 Guests are viewing this topic*


And you all know he is on here right now observing....Mayhaps we should just let it lie and not play into his delusions of importance.


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## Koenigsegg

I was one of the guests.  So you can count one out now.
I only log in when I have something to say or ask.  I read around first.


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## Mike Baker

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> I feel bad for him.He has mental issues.


I don't, not at all. He makes me sick :rage:


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## Franko

HitorMiss said:
			
		

> *9 Guests are viewing this topic*
> 
> 
> And you all know he is on here right now observing....Mayhaps we should just let it lie and not play into his delusions of importance.



A few are from Calgary, with that....

John....you reap what you sow.


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## JBoyd

That is definately alarming, kind of reminds me of a movie i once watched, Strangeland. you never know who you are going to meet or talk to online, and people like that give the net a bad name


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## HItorMiss

*10 Guests are viewing this topic*

Must we?

As RBD said you reap what you sow. I think maybe this is dead with the posting of the descroption of the TV show on page 4 as a decription for those who didn't know this individual and were curious.

The rest I think is just playing into him. IMO


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## 1feral1

This guy has no conscience, and does not think like we do, we must be weary of him, and others like him.

He preys on the weak, nieve, the honest, and people who are most vulnerable after personal tragedies. A parasite is too good of a word.

Remember, no conscience, and no remorse. A hinderance to all good people, and who should be ashamed of himself, but remember he only cares about himself, and would steal his grandmother's inheritance without showing anything but cold calous behaviour, that of a cold calculating career criminally insane mind.

This guy took advatnage of us, even bought the army.ca coin on ebay, and returned it to Mike. He was getting in on our good side, but things have not quiet been right with him for a while, we all knew something was off centre. 

We 'normal people' must be patient, sooner or later the Mounties will get him, and some big gaol-cell mate will be shagging his ass, as we are at home watching W5, ha!

John if you read this, you are simply a mongrel.


Cheers,

Wes


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## Ex-Dragoon

HitorMiss said:
			
		

> *10 Guests are viewing this topic*
> 
> Must we?
> 
> As RBD said you reap what you sow. I think maybe this is dead with the posting of the descroption of the TV show on page 4 as a decription for those who didn't know this individual and were curious.
> 
> The rest I think is just playing into him. IMO



Sorry Hitormiss but I disagree, the more people that become aware of John Hill and people of his ilk, maybe the word will get out more and the less likely someone else will fall prey.


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## zipperhead_cop

Sgt  Schultz said:
			
		

> I got one on facebook.. but the profile is un-viewable... unless I add him as a friend. Nah...
> 
> But here is his friend's list... mostly girl...
> 
> 
> The Facebook List



Cripes, the first two on that list look like criminals themselves...
How can you be sure it's him though?  John Hill has to be a pretty common name.


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## proudnurse

I just watched the W5 clip that Tess had included, my jaw just dropped watching that and with reading that he was a member here, Just goes to show, how close to home situation like this can hit. I had to turn it off, when I got to the part of him on the 'cooking show' just sickening. 

~Rebecca


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## CADPAT SOLDIER

I dunno about that facebook, it doesn't provide a picture and his friends all seem a little on the young side.
Plus John and Hill are fairly common first and last names I'm sure there's more than one in Calgary.


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## Scoobie Newbie

Why are we wasting the bandwith on this any further?


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## armyvern

Lone Wolf Quagmire said:
			
		

> Why are we wasting the bandwith on this any further?



To spread the word about this asshat -- that's why.


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## Scoobie Newbie

I think the previous 4 pages cover that, but hey its not my bandwith.


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## armyvern

Lone Wolf Quagmire said:
			
		

> I think the previous 4 pages cover that, but hey its not my bandwith.



You're absolutely correct on that note.

Hey, if anyone else finds this poser listed anywhere else, please feel free to post the link up as a warning to others. He is popping up all over the place on sites after all -- preying on the unsuspecting and uniformed.

We may have outted him here last year, and be done with him personaly ... but there's nothing wrong with warning others about his antics when we're aware of them; I sure don't consider that a waste of bandwidth. Feel free to ignore this thread if you have nothing constructive to add.

How's that LWQ?? Will that save enough bandwidth to make you personaly happy?


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## muskrat89

If bandwidth was that big a concern, we wouldn't have a zillion pages of fluff in Radio Chatter.

This thread has been discussed by Mike and the Staff. For now we feel the merits of keeping it open outweigh the merits of closing it.

Now let's stick to the topic at hand.

Army.ca Staff


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## zipperhead_cop

Perhaps this topic could get pinned, so if anything comes up later on it will be easier to find?


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## darmil

Thats crazy to hear about BBJ.what a scum bag ,you can never trust anybody on the internet even more so now.


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## Mike Bobbitt

As has been suggested, let's keep the conversation to the facts. The point of this thread is to get info about John Hill out there, if someone has to wade through 20 pages of rants (albeit warranted) it makes the thread less useful. Please feel free to post a link if you find information about John. Maybe if we'd been a bit more vocal last year, the woman profiles on W5 last night wouldn't have been scammed.

Tossing around insults won't help - we all know what kind of a 'man' John Hill is - so let's stick to reporting the facts to help prevent any further victims.


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## Hawk

Just checked a couple of forums where I play - no sign of him - but you never know. Posted so I can keep track of this thread - feel free to ignore me.


Hawk


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## DavidAkin

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> That's okay, Bruce, we can always catch it on CTV Broadband later.  I, for one, plan on watching it.



My colleagues at W5 are sure to appreciate the spike in traffic.

A summary of the story is here:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20071102/WFIVE_risky_business/20071102?hub=WFive

and the links to the video are down the right-hand side of that page. From that story:

"Millions of Canadians use Internet-dating sites to look for love. Some find their mates, some find disappointment. And some find something far more dangerous - con artists and sex predators lurking in the shadows of cyberspace.

Last year, Liz Cole emerged from a nasty divorce and sought companionship online. It didn't take long to find her first suitor. His name was John Hill . .  . "


----------



## Haletown

and the silly question . . .  why isn't a multiple repeat criminal with a 30 year record in jail ??

oh excuse me, it's not his fault.  Criminals  have their rights, even if the victims suffer at their  expense


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse

..and for those loooking at his army.ca profile, he wasn't "last active" on the 28th of July, 2007. The site was having problems around that time and a whole bunch of accounts got "activated" because of some glitch. His bogus e-mail address he put up there when he scurried away is not a real address and therefore he would not recieve his activation e-mail required when changing e-mail addresses.
Bruce


----------



## Fishbone Jones

Haletown said:
			
		

> and the silly question . . .  why isn't a multiple repeat criminal with a 30 year record in jail ??
> 
> oh excuse me, it's not his fault.  Criminals  have their rights, even if the victims suffer at their  expense



The lieberal system of 'revolving door justice' and their 'catch and release' programs have been at fault, for a long time.


----------



## NCRCrow

Theft

200 Block Sunnyside Ave 

02Dec02 (#268842)

In October the compl had advertised for a roommate in the Ottawa Citizen, and a male who ID’d himself as John Melvin Hill  responded and moved in. The male indicated he worked for the Canadian Police Association - and she never doubted this. They began a romantic relationship almost immediately. At the beginning of Nov the male stated he left the CPA and was now working at Ottawa U - and she had no reason to doubt his story. At the end of Nov the male advised he wanted to deposit $6155 to her account - and she provided her PIN# to him. That same day they were to have met at the library - and he was a no show. Upon returning home the compl found the male had moved out. The compl checked her bank account and discovered it had been cleaned out. Suspect: male, white, 45yrs, 6’2, 230lbs, clean shaven, short brown/ grey hair, English speaking-no accent, able to speak Russian and Gaelic. THIS MATTER IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY DET. RICK MACINTOSH. 

BBJ in the Glebe!


----------



## George Wallace

HFXCrow

[Deleted comment].   You have provided no links.

[Edit to add after Vern provided link -  It appears he is bold enough to revisit areas of past operations.  That report was from 2002 and he was back in the Ottawa area in 2005-06.]


----------



## armyvern

George Wallace said:
			
		

> HFXCrow
> 
> Is this a work of fiction, or the real thing?  You have provided no links.



He's offline now.

I managed to find the Notice Board his post is taken from here:

The Glebe On-line Crime Files

The Glebe On-line


----------



## psperron

i knew john melvin hill this summer in calgary alberta he was working as a chef at bass brothers restaurant i meet him while he was residing at the salvation army booth center a homeless shelter in calgary on 7 street south east he stay there from may 2007 to september 2007 i left calgary to come back to ontario on the 8 and he was still living there in a room, john used to be the chef at the restaurant i was working i got hiring by him and he started making pass and big promises at the waitress and girls working there and telling a lot of lied , the last day of his work he told me that he was a royal marine and was a reserved officer in the candian forces in calgary i thought it was wrong since the restaurant were i worked was the main restaurant that the reserved forces in calgary came to since we were about 5 minutes from the reserved armoury he change to become a mexican chef at broken city restaurant the next week and did a show on breakfast telivision in calgary a lot of people in calgary did not believed john and now we got our proof this week end with w five report on john melvin hill my father serve during the 2 ww in the r22r as a cook so i can related to people that dont like liard about military past good luck to this page


----------



## aesop081

dynaglide said:
			
		

> Hey,
> Just saying..  I've seen others torn to shreds on this site for grammatical misgivings that weren't nearly as bad as that.



Moving on

Milnet.ca staff


----------



## 3rd Herd

psperron said:
			
		

> i knew john melvin hill this summer in calgary alberta he was working as a chef at bass brothers restaurant i meet him while he was residing at the salvation army booth center a homeless shelter in calgary on 7 street south east he stay there from may 2007 to september 2007 i left calgary to come back to ontario on the 8 and he was still living there in a room, john used to be the chef at the restaurant i was working i got hiring by him and he started making pass and big promises at the waitress and girls working there and telling a lot of lied , the last day of his work he told me that he was a royal marine and was a reserved officer in the candian forces in calgary i thought it was wrong since the restaurant were i worked was the main restaurant that the reserved forces in calgary came to since we were about 5 minutes from the reserved armoury he change to become a mexican chef at broken city restaurant the next week and did a show on breakfast telivision in calgary a lot of people in calgary did not believed john and now we got our proof this week end with w five report on john melvin hill my father serve during the 2 ww in the r22r as a cook so i can related to people that dont like liard about military past good luck to this page



For what it is worth:
http://lphs76.ca/forums/viewtopic.php?p=765&sid=5999985017bffd05b6023e47cdedc0f2


----------



## Danjanou

This guy just don't want to give up does he :

So should we join the forum and out him or just have someone in the Calgary area show up at their M&G and do it in person?  >


----------



## medaid

You should! Nothing should stop you from telling that DA what you really think of him


----------



## emmiee

I wanted to thank all those who put in hours behind the scenes at army.ca to bring this to the forefront. I know it will prevent others from falling for his act.

Thanks
emm


----------



## JesseWZ

This has got me thinking, who is John Hill? I mean really. I wonder if he even know's anymore. With all the lies he's sculpted over the years, some of which lasted for quite some time it makes me think that maybe he has an inability to be himself, and must piggy back on other personas in order to feel successful. Before we pile on me, I am not excusing his actions, nor am I complacent about them or him. I feel quite disgusted with the whole matter.


----------



## myladawn

I reside in Calgary, AB and met John Hill over the course of last years Calgary Stampede.  He didn't manage to get any money out of me but from the brief encounter I had with him, experienced him to be an extremely dangerous sociopath.   He was working at 'The Whiskey Bar' as a cook and had all sorts of lies about having a private plane to go to France, etc. wanting to marry me and have children with me after knowing me for a day. He turned out to be very emotionally damaging and I would never wish this man on my worst enemy.  He is in Calgary right now and all females here with their heart on their sleeve...HEADS UP, this man is beyond BAD!


----------



## JBoyd

From the W-Five information, along with the facts that he has a long line of criminal activity; He is obviously known to the authorities it sounds like. However; perhaps somewhere his whereabouts are being looked into? perhaps this information should be sent along to the proper authorities?


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse

JBoyd said:
			
		

> From the W-Five information, along with the facts that he has a long line of criminal activity; He is obviously known to the authorities it sounds like. However; perhaps somewhere his whereabouts are being looked into? perhaps this information should be sent along to the proper authorities?



Why?  One of the sad facts of life is that it is not illegal to be a total a&*hole.


----------



## JBoyd

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> Why?  One of the sad facts of life is that it is not illegal to be a total a&*hole.




Well yes that is a sad fact, However it just sounded like there may be an open case of fraud involving him somewhere. You never know, perhaps they are looking for him under a pseudonym or alias.


----------



## NCRCrow

Maybe that case in the Glebe 2002 is still open. See my post and Vern's following link


----------



## nmccreary

My husband and I met him a few months back when he was posing at the Broken City as a Mexican Chef.
They got rid of him not long after the Breakfast Show, and I suspect he is gone from the city.


----------



## armyvern

Holy Crap over!!

Check out Page 3 of this puppy (I guess this is the background pertaining to the UBC theft) !!

$220,000 computer heist hits bookstore


----------



## JBoyd

ArmyVern said:
			
		

> Holy Crap over!!
> 
> Check out Page 3 of this puppy (I guess this is the background pertaining to the UBC theft) !!
> 
> $220,000 computer heist hits bookstore



Any proof that it is the SAME John Melvin Hill? (hoping it is)


----------



## armyvern

JBoyd said:
			
		

> Any proof that it is the SAME John Melvin Hill? (hoping it is)



Did you even watch W5?

Did you read the links provided in this thread to the W5 portion?

"Convicted of theft ... from UBC in BC ...  $250 000"

Walks the catwalk like a poser ... must be ....


----------



## geo

well... guess there are no redeeming qualities for the man... Putz!


----------



## nmccreary

I met John Hill when he was in Calgary. He was working as the chef of Broken City for a few weeks. Broken City terminated him due to "issues" about the time the morning show was on the air, so I doubt he is still in Calgary. I am guessing these issues had to do with him being both a criminal & a con-man, and that information reaching the staff at Broken City. He did not buy into the Broken City in any way shape or form, albeit I hope for the management and owners of the establishment that they did not lose anything due to the purchasing a chef may need to make.

Both my husband and I talked with him many times, and although it never crossed my mind at the time that he was not what he seemed to be, or said he was, I can look back and see warning signs. We were lucky, we didn't have time to get closer - after all he was quite a charming person, and it was easy to like him.

He never mentioned a military past to me, but he did try to impress me with having worked at Microsoft (which I find funny in retrospect, considering that I am a linux programmer and most people who have been or are programmers KNOW Microsoft vs. Linux is a religious issue).  Had he been a programmer, he'd know this.

With my husband he did mention being former British military, but my husband mentioned his dad was RAF and his brother was Canadian Air Force, to which John did not respond. John only became busy, and had to return to the kitchen.

Beyond that, he made conversation too easily, and was overly friendly, and made too much eye contact. Another thing is when the topic got too close, John became busy. Generally, I wrote it off as being new to the city, over-eager about the job, and nervous.

I am glad you guys have this topic, and I hope people learn to Google potential mates, employees and anyone else they meet whom they question in any way - and I hope for those who meet John that they google his name and find this page.


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse

nmccreary said:
			
		

> I am glad you guys have this topic, and I hope people learn to Google potential mates, employees and anyone else they meet whom they question in any way - and I hope for those who meet John that they google his name and find this page.



...and then stick around and help support our serving Men and Women, past, present and future, all over this great big world. [shameless plug finished]


----------



## psperron

as of yesterday i found out that john was still in Calgary in October working in another restaurant but the owner checked is references and found out it was bogus and got fired someone say he worked at the whiskey bar he did and then went to bass brother the same company own both including flame central where john wanted to work for but he is now not in Calgary but somewhere else trying to prey on woman's and others i was talking to my ex boss this morning and they are still wondering about him since he resume was so full of it 
i think that we should warned everyone about him he is still outthere and yes john Melvin hill was convicted of the ubc fraud i saw is picture on a report in the Vancouver province newpapers


----------



## Haggis

JBoyd said:
			
		

> Any proof that it is the SAME John Melvin Hill? (hoping it is)



According to the article Vern posted, his age in 1992 was 34.  Add 15 years and you get 49 to 50 years of age.  That, too, fits.

I'd say that it's a safe guess, based on the W5 info, the UBC article and my lunchtime math, it's the same guy.


----------



## ArmyRick

psperron, thank you for contributing to the conversation however that is the longest run on sentence I have ever seen. Please do edit your post.


----------



## fbr2o75

ArmyRick said:
			
		

> psperron, thank you for contributing to the conversation however that is the longest run on sentence I have ever seen. Please do edit your post.



Maybe he could PM you the french version and you can do the edit.


----------



## geo

+1 fbr2o75


----------



## Mike Bobbitt

Folks,

We have strong reason to believe that John Hill is attempting to return to this site, under another alias. Please use caution when dealing with new users and let us know if you see anything unusual.


Thanks
Mike


----------



## Nfld Sapper

Understood, watching my arcs   ;D


----------



## IN HOC SIGNO

Wow just started reading this thread tonight...more time on my hands now that I'm on leave...and I'm just amazed. I've certainly met my share of con men over my career as a man of the cloth, they tend to look us up in the phone book and run their game on us. That's why I never list myself as Rev in the phone book anymore. It would be good if the authorities could run this guy....they must have lots of evidence.


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse

John,....look who else is looking,
Guest (XXXXXXXXX)  18:20:06 Viewing the topic Warning regarding Big Bad John (John Melvin Hill). 

OrgName:    Royal Canadian Mounted Police 
OrgID:      RCMP-2
Address:    1200 Vanier Parkway
City:       Ottawa
StateProv:  ON
PostalCode: K1A-0R2


----------



## Klc

Mike Bobbitt said:
			
		

> Folks,
> 
> We have strong reason to believe that John Hill is attempting to return to this site, under another alias. *Please use caution when dealing with new users* and let us know if you see anything unusual.
> 
> 
> Thanks
> Mike



Did I ever tell you guys about my years in the royal marines?  ;D


----------



## George Wallace

Klc said:
			
		

> Did I ever tell you guys about my years in the royal marines?  ;D



Right!   Off you go!


----------



## X-mo-1979

I doubt he will be attending any meet and greets anyway.

I got one person in mind,however I won't write it here,in fear of insulting a member if he is him.


----------



## X-mo-1979

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> John,....look who else is looking,
> Guest (XXXXXXXXX)  18:20:06 Viewing the topic Warning regarding Big Bad John (John Melvin Hill).
> 
> OrgName:    Royal Canadian Mounted Police
> OrgID:      RCMP-2
> Address:    1200 Vanier Parkway
> City:       Ottawa
> StateProv:  ON
> PostalCode: K1A-0R2



Someone bored on shift most likely.I doubt theres a task force John "Ill"


----------



## Michael OLeary

To illustrate with a variation on the theme, here's a new spin on building an identity to run a con:

Man Pleads Guilty To Impersonating CIA Officer


----------



## Greymatters

X-mo-1979 said:
			
		

> Someone bored on shift most likely.I doubt theres a task force John "Ill"



Vanier Pkwy
RCMP - Canadian Police Research Centre
1200 Vanier Pkwy, (also Regina - RCMP Training)
http://www.cprc.org 
(613)998-9343 

Was it research, or surfing the net during work hours?
Wanna phone them up and ask?   >


----------



## Big Foot

Seems Big Bad John has popped up again, this time voicing his hockey opinions on CBC.ca:


> Big Bad John
> 
> Ottawa
> 
> Brian Burke would be a perfect fit for Leafs GM! After all his ego is about as big as all Toronto and its followed closely by the egos of the Leafs management, the Leafs media and the Leafs fans!
> A match made in hockey ego heaven!(aka Toronto)
> 
> Posted January 22, 2008 04:00 PM


Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/marek/2008/01/two_logical_choices_for_leafs.html


----------



## Blakey

Big Foot said:
			
		

> Seems Big Bad John has popped up again, this time voicing his hockey opinions on CBC.ca:Source: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/marek/2008/01/two_logical_choices_for_leafs.html



Could it not just be someone who likes the song?, I'm sure not every BBJ on the internet is _our_ BBJ.


----------



## Big Foot

Could be the case, although the fact the guy is saying that he is from Ottawa, who knows.


----------



## Blakey

^True enough, I guess anything is in the realm of possability.


----------



## Blackadder1916

My first thought when I saw that the comment was in ref to a story about who should be the Leafs' next GM was that someone was trying to evoke the memory of the just fired GM's father, John Ferguson Sr. who vowed to be "the meanest, rottenest, most miserable cuss ever to play in the NHL."


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse

From the Mod forum.......




			
				Mike Bobbitt said:
			
		

> The name XXXXX found was John Fraley. No obvious connection there.





			
				the 48th regulator said:
			
		

> Bruce,
> 
> I thought you would find this interesting......
> 
> http://www.419legal.org/fraud/23635-hello-first-time-here-2.html#post28183
> 
> 
> 
> _Hello,
> 
> My name is
> John Fraley
> and and i'm a sargent in the Canadian Forces !
> This is a 2006 Mini Cooper in perfect conditions without any mechanical problems,
> in mint condition, no scratches, flaws or any kind of damage, slightly used in 100% working and looking conditions.
> Has never been repaired, never been involved in any type of accident or had any paint or body work done!
> The price for this car is $7,000 and all the shipping/handling and insurance charges are included in this price.
> You will get the car with all the papers, original documentation, clear title and a bill of sale signed by me as well.
> If you decide on buying it, I want the deal closed only through eBay's Vehicle Purchase program and
> if you would like to go further with this deal, please email me and i will let you know more about the transaction.
> Here is more info and more pics:
> 
> has been very well kept since new
> is still covered by original
> factory warranty thru 11/2010 or 50k miles!!!
> 
> 32,000 km
> 
> Transmission:
> 5 Spd Automatic
> Engine:1.6L L4 FI DOHC 16V
> 2006 Mini Cooper color Pepper White
> 
> features
> include leather, side airbags, sunroof, Harmon Kardon sound, CD, heated seats
> The exterior is excellent. The highly desirable Pepper White finish shines just
> like brand new. No dents, dings, ugly blemishes, etc
> 
> Color Pepper White with Gray/Black Leather Interior
> Air Conditioning
> Climate Control System
> Rear A/C
> Steering Wheel Radio Controls
> Digital Information Center
> Cruise Control
> Sunroof
> Tilt Steering Wheel
> Clock
> Tachometer
> Heated Seat _




Hmmm,........whats the matter John, need a scam where you can't show your fat face? :clown:


----------



## Mike Baker

Isn't impersonating a Canadian Soldier a fairly hefty crime?


John, you still make me sick


----------



## armyvern

He's a con artist -- it's what they do.

I wonder, if his posing as a CF member in his attempts to commit fraud, the Justice system could somehow arrange to nail this asshole and give him a small 'lil sentence of 2 years less a day in good old Club Edmonton.

Spending some time in the Detention barracks might do some good ...


----------



## ArmyRick

There is no Sgt Fraley in the CF according to the global search box for outlook. Also last I checked we didn't have any sargeant rank. Hope they nail him.


----------



## JesseWZ

Best way to ensure no one gets screwed is to contact ebay and the RCMP about it ASAP.


----------



## 1feral1

Anyone is the first place who would even fall for such a scam needs their head read.

As for the alleged idiot John, well his goose is cooked, and its a matter of time before he paints himself into a corner, if not already

Tick-tock, the clock of redemption counts down for this waste of rations.


Cheers,

Wes


----------



## BRADLEY@@

WOW, i couldnt belive thiswhen i saw it. he is a member of the mormon church in calgary alberta (i am not lol) but he came over for dinner one night for thanksgiving i belive. seemed like a very nice guy. a bunch of people at his church were going to pay for him to start up his own restaruant, but some how he screwed that up and it didnt get any further than that. someone from his church googled his name, and found all these. so now he will most likely be kicked out of the church and more and more people will know about him. but lol i found this very funny when i read it because he sure doesnt act like that. but i know if he ever try to screw us over he wouldnt be screwing anyone else over after i got through with that fat *** hole. butjust want to let people know that he is living in calgary and works for some animal food company that travels between calgary and edmonton. pretty fat right now and has somewhat long hair brown and bit of grey. he also never mentioned anything about being with the military, just talked alot about being from quebec, so he may have givin up that role.


----------



## Good2Golf

BRADLEY@@, a couple of things: firstly, notwithstanding what it appears somebody may have done, it is not appropriate to issue threats about what you would do to someone as you did in your post -- that amounts to 'issuing a threat' and itself could be subject to action under the Criminal Code of Canada; and secondly, part of posting on this forum in a responsible manner includes avoiding inappropriate use of vulgar language as well as MSN-speak, and poor punctuation/grammar.  Have a rethink about the message you would like others to take from your words.  

Checking out the following information would be time well spent, as failure to conduct one's self in accordance with the site guidelines could result in formal warnings or other administrative actions:

*Army.ca Conduct Guidelines*: MUST READ - http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/24937.0.html

MSN and ICQ "short hand" -  http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/33247.0.html

Regarding the use of "MSN speak" versus the employment of prose which is correct in grammar, spelling and punctuation, please see: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/34015/post-260446.html#msg260446

Tone and Content on Army.ca: http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/51970.0.html

FRIENDLY ADVICE TO NEW MEMBERS - http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/24937/post-259412.html#msg259412

Welcome to Army.ca.


*The Milnet.ca Staff*


----------



## BRADLEY@@

Sorry, didn't really over that. Just saw this thread and posted didn't read anything else. But yeah I think I got my point across, maybe I shouldn't have said that but hey. I just wanted to let everyone know that he is still living in Calgary, and I kind of started ranting on and on.


----------



## Mike Bobbitt

Thanks for the info, it's good to have an update and good to hear that word is slowly getting out.

Cheers
Mike


----------



## Jenn001

I just totally had to make an account here so I could post a reply to this topic.

Thanks to this forum, you saved me from this horrible man.

I met him (John Melvin Hill) last week, in Montreal.  He gave me the same song and dance as so many other women.  He promised me the world in one day, which led my gut instincts to scream at me that this guy was a con man.  Yet he was so very charming indeed.  But throughout the whole date....something felt so wrong, I couldn't put my finger on it.

His latest lie is that he owns an airline parts manufacturing company in Montreal here. And that he is going to open a restaurant.
I was curious so I googled and googled for the past week.  Until I just found this site...and his picture.  It ran a chill through me.
He mentioned being shot at in Europe? Perhaps Army? sheesh!  

He met me through Craigslist, I had posted an online personals ad.  OMG what a scumbag!  I am truly thankful I never gave him personal info about where I live, or my real full name.

All I can say is.... Never take this thread off of the net!


----------



## muskrat89

Jenn - I think we can all say we're glad you were able to avoid this guy's scam. Since your information is so current, you may consider contacting the RCMP.

Army.ca Staff


----------



## Mike Bobbitt

Here is some additional information regarding John Hill. It seems he's come out of the woodwork in Montreal and has started preying on women there. Despite his efforts, he is leaving traces across the 'net:


Plentyoffish.com and his posts there
If any of you recall the segment W5 did on him, the woman he victimized from that show has written a book (Amazon.ca):
Perfect prey : surviving a cyber shark's romantic fraud / Liz Cole. -- Ancaster, Ont. : Manor House Pub., 2009.
ISBN 978-1-897453-10-0 : $19.95
1. Cole, Liz, 1962- 2. Hill, John Melvin 3. Online dating--Canada 4. Online sexual predators--Canada 5. Undercover operations--Canada 6. Fraud--Canada
He's posing as a food critic / restaurant reviewer
He still claims to be from Ireland though he's sadly a Canadian


Here's hoping that this information will help folks avoid this con man. The RCMP are in possession of this information.


----------



## Bruce Monkhouse

Every time I look at his face I start laughing remembering him in Ottawa trying to "smooth" his way past Whiskey 601..........nice try dirtbag.


----------



## midget-boyd91

Mike Bobbitt said:
			
		

> Here is some additional information regarding John Hill. It seems he's come out of the woodwork in Montreal and has started preying on women there. Despite his efforts, he is leaving traces across the 'net:
> 
> 
> Plentyoffish.com and his posts there
> 
> 
> Here's hoping that this information will help folks avoid this con man. The RCMP are in possession of this information.



I'd say that he's noticed that he's been noticed.

From his profile on said website



> *About Me*
> xnlal mkmaqKGMG AMGMDFM AKRJ MB MDNBMDNABKL;READM,BM MDF,ABM,M BD,ABMM DB,B,MB, XXXXX XXXXX X XX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXXX XMDFMBM M ,LDFMKBNA N VNFnv fn danm nmfkdam bf da,bm,d f fbda b f bdf b,fb d,bb ,.mrl;em,gl fmfjklgfjfkhfjkdfb jgnjkfnb fkdbvnfdab bgfb bnb b lb kldf kla bkl kl
> 
> *Profession*
> ? xxx xxx xxx



Oddball


----------



## ChowUser

John Hill is back to his old schemes, this time on the food-lover's message board, Chow.com and the chowhound boards.  His bogus claims include:

1) Being treated with chemotherapy for cancer and having to move into a hospice: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/678761#5321067
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/671920#5230995
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/669028#5226754
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/673815#5258866
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/675591#5275215

2) Being an avid world traveler:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/676456#5276995
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/676456#5277662
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/676456#5285728

3) Owning restaurants and opening a new restaurant focused on comfort food:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645905#5039665
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645905#5105690

4) Being a hopefully romantic with horrible, sappy taste in music (presumably to appeal to women): 
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/678761#5316909
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/671598#5233032

5) Being so moved by descriptions of delicious food (made by women), he could propose:
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645905#5006098
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/645905#5235804

For those interested in the full extent of his fraud, all of his posts are here: http://www.chow.com/profile/259263

He also posted a link to his facebook profile and friended a few people from how.  The facebook profile is under an e-mail address that is strikingly similar to the one he used on this board: tinmanfoodie@gmail.com

He made numerous passes at the women he encountered online, whether they were married or not.  He even asked one for her address to send a package and proposed meeting up in a European city for dinner.

What a psychopath!


----------



## Danjanou

ChowUser

Welcome to Milnet.

1- You're sure this is "our" John Hill Big Bad John? Mind reading a couple of those posts I'd say it probably is as the "style" is similar.

2- Hopefully the rest of that forum including Mods/Admins is also aware of his antics?

RJS
Milnet DS


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## Mike Bobbitt

ChowUser,

Thanks for taking the time to document this information, and add it to the thread we have here. Hopefully this will provide a fairly complete picture for those seeking the truth about John Hill. Hopefully none of the users at Chow.com have run into problems with this guy.


Cheers
Mike


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## ChowUser

Too many similarities for it to be anyone other  than John Hill.  The CHOW mods have been alerted about the scam by several users.  Unfortunately they have been deleting each and every post warning the community (probably for fear of libel) while they complete their "investigations."

Theory is he was trawling for financial backers for his "restaurant" or a lonely heart to scam some money out of.  Might have decided to pull the plug when he was unsuccessful.  Or perhaps he was successful and decided to cut and run.  

In any case, he's got a presence online: www.facebook.com/people/John-Hill/1467458345 ( John Hill in Montreal, Canada aka bigfellow) and the aforementioned gmail address.

Beware!


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## Danjanou

Seen, thanks for passing this on to us.


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## Bruce Monkhouse

Some American media is having a look at this thread also.


..and John, I KNOW you are reading this RIGHT now. Thanks for the IP.


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## the 48th regulator

tinmanfoodie@gmail.com brings up this profile on Facebook.....hmm multiple profiles.....

dileas

tess


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## zipperhead_cop

the 48th regulator said:
			
		

> tinmanfoodie@gmail.com brings up this profile on Facebook.....hmm multiple profiles.....



When one makes a living being a parasite, serial fraudster one needs to try to keep their paper/electronic trail short.  Imagine how many false welfare profiles he has, making a comfortable living on the taxpayers dime.


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## Mack Hibiclens

It appears he may be moving out west again. Why would a man who claims to be so sick he was going to be checked into a hospice be planning for places to eat out in Crowsnest Pass?

bigfellow wrote:
"I'll be heading top the Crowsnest Pass area in Febuary. Any recommendations on where to eat?"

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/677769


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## Nfld Sapper

All part of his deception plan I guess........


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## Bruce Monkhouse

Nice try John,......serving snacks at the 'Y' are we?


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## Mike Bobbitt

I got confirmation that the folks at Chowhound are passing around information about this... so there's one more bridge burned.


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## zipperhead_cop

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> Nice try John,......serving snacks at the 'Y' are we?



Did that clown manage to get on here again?  You`d think he`d be gunshy of coming around here.


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## mellian

Gah, this reminds me of this creep that kept trying to friend various women in Toronto-Ottawa-Montreal area, including myself multiple times on multiple sites and messengers despite telling him off and outing him.


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## PMedMoe

mellian, it's probably the same guy.


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## mellian

PMedMoe said:
			
		

> mellian, it's probably the same guy.



No, they are different creeps. Different pictures, names, and MO. The one I am referring to is more known in various 'alternative lifestyle' circles and websites. Philip Bastian or some such. Still have a couple of pictures of him I used in outing him the other year on facebook, and refused his FB friendship again the other week.


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## Mack Hibiclens

The news has circulated among us chowhound users.

Those in Montreal always found him to be strange, in a sad "trying to impress to get friends" type of way. One of us became suspicious about his cancer claim and called local hospitals... no listing, not surprising. This chowhounder contacted another chowhounder and mentioned the suspicions. The other chowhounder scoured the net and found your site, the canadian living article, the info on W Five, as well as the article from UBC. ChowUser, who posted above, was one of the first contacted and did a huge load of work posting those links. It spread from there and more and more people know every day.

Chowhound moderators have been notified as has the local police... not sure if there are currently any outstanding warrants for him, but the info is out just in case we can help. It would be nice to get this creep off the streets once and for all.


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## Bruce Monkhouse

Mack Hibiclens said:
			
		

> . It would be nice to get this creep off the streets once and for all.



In  Canada?


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## Mack Hibiclens

Not just Canada... everywhere, but he seems to focus in Canada.


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## Bruce Monkhouse

Sorry, guess I wasn't being clear. Click on my "Canada" link in my post and you will see that "getting a creep off the streets forever" is a pipe dream at best.


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## zipperhead_cop

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> Sorry, guess I wasn't being clear. Click on my "Canada" link in my post and you will see that "getting a creep off the streets forever" is a pipe dream at best.



See, now if that pipe were attached to some other mechanical stuff, and the diameter of the pipe was roughly .223 of an inch across, and it got one end closed off with a firecracker-ish thing with a penny looking tip.....

Well, even pipe dreams can come true!   ;D


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## ChowUser

Update:

The Chow mods never directly responded to our demands to boot bigfellow/John Melvin Hill from the boards.  Instead, they deactivated his account and deleted all of the threads that were highlighted in my original post outing him here.

In the past month, a "new" user, qcfoodi, appeared on the Home Cooking and Montreal boards who sounded suspiciously like John Melvin Hill to a group of us.  He claimed to be a new transplant to Montreal (yet had a surprisingly good grasp of the local scene) and lists his real name as "Jack."  Uh huh.  And his profile (http://www.chow.com/profile/1183031) has a number of other suspicious things (including a photo of a bagpiper) that imply he's trying to pass himself off as a U.K. transplant ("fish and chips," "chicken tikka masala").  He even claims his favorite restaurant is in...wait for...Edinburgh!

This guy is such a freakin' loser.  And uncreative!

The mods are on to him again, at least on the Home Cooking boards, where they have AGAIN deleted all his posts (see, for example, here: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/721543?tag=main_body;topic-721543.  There's a reply to a no-longer-existant message from him).  Oddly enough, his profile has not been deactivated, and his posts remain on the Quebec boards.

Where will he strike next?  This guy needs a new MO.  Actually, John Melvin Hill needs to get a life!


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## zipperhead_cop

ChowUser said:
			
		

> Actually, John Melvin Hill needs to get a life!



Per se, the best solution would be quite the contrary...


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## ChowUser

Looks like he is STILL conning people. Once a jackass, always a jackass.  This time he stole money from an employer in a restaurant. https://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=2453487031&topic=12240


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## Pieman

Any more Big Bad John updates? This thread has been a source of 'amusement' for a good five years now. 

Why don't we have legislation to stick people like this in a mental institution? From this thread he appears to bounce from job to job, city to city, and is even in and out of shelters at times. Question is, do people with this type of illness escalate into something far worse in times of desperation? 

He has got to be one of the worst scam artists going.   I wonder if there is some kind of scam artist club? I picture them sitting around shaking their heads, complaining,  and feeling embarrassed to be cast in the same light as this guy.


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## dogger1936

http://cyberpaths.blogspot.com/2009/11/perfect-prey-surviving-cyber-sharks.html


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## daftandbarmy

Here's the big give away: For a guy with 23 years in the Royal Marines he seems kind of humble  ;D


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## sockpuppet123

Registered just to give you all a heads up that this man is now living in Saskatoon, SK. He's claiming to be, among other things, a cardiothoracic surgeon. To others, he is claiming to have had several strokes that require him to walk with a cane. In reality, he's living in a low income apartment complex run by a homeless shelter. Here's an article with a photo:
http://ckom.com/story/saskatoon-s-lighthouse-officially-opened/74612

Watch out, Saskatoon!


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## JorgSlice

sockpuppet123 said:
			
		

> Registered just to give you all a heads up that this man is now living in Saskatoon, SK. He's claiming to be, among other things, a cardiothoracic surgeon. To others, he is claiming to have had several strokes that require him to walk with a cane. In reality, he's living in a low income apartment complex run by a homeless shelter. Here's an article with a photo:
> http://ckom.com/story/saskatoon-s-lighthouse-officially-opened/74612
> 
> Watch out, Saskatoon!



Hahahaha.... oh dear


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## armyvern

Well, in the W5 Investigative Report, they ask if anyone knows his current whereabouts, to call him in to the RCMP (ref the outstanding frauds ...); it's been a couple of years, but I wonder if they've had a chance to "find their man" yet?

Be guaranteed - he's reading this thread to this day.


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## fraserdw

I hope he is because my RCMP neighbour has the link to the news item!  Run Johnny run!


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## Fishbone Jones

fraserdw said:
			
		

> I hope he is because my RCMP neighbour has the link to the news item!  Run Johnny run!


  Hopefully, he won't see this thread and do a runner. Instead of posting it for him, maybe staying schtump till they knocked on his door would have been better.


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## Pieman

I honestly hope this guy gets into some kind of mental health program. He is at the point of living in a homeless shelter yet still keeps trying the same game. Says to me there is something really screwed up in his head and we are looking at a person who is seriously ill, rather than your typical con artist.


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## Fishbone Jones

Pieman said:
			
		

> I honestly hope this guy gets into some kind of mental health program. He is at the point of living in a homeless shelter yet still keeps trying the same game. Says to me there is something really screwed up in his head and we are looking at a person who is seriously ill, rather than your typical con artist.



He's running a con as a disabled person to get a nice comfy apt for nothing. He's not mentally ill or stupid.

He's a thief, a con artist and a fraud. That is all.


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## Pieman

> He's running a con as a disabled person to get a nice comfy apt for nothing. He's not mentally ill or stupid.
> 
> He's a thief, a con artist and a fraud. That is all.



You may well be right. Perhaps he is just a bad person? 

I'm not convinced of that though.  I don't think he can be considered a good con artist by any means, and to continue such behavior even after being outed and caught numerous times just does not seem like something a mentally sound person would do.....we need the opinion of a shrink to know one way or the other though.

Perhaps the people he thinks he is conning at the homeless shelter are well aware of his problems. They are probably used to seeing people with such conditions in need of their help.


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## ArmyRick

Dude,

Seriously. I don't care what his "issues" are. He behaves in a predatory manner. We do not need crap like that in our society. Mind you if they locked him up forever in a mental ward of some kind, then yay!


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## Pieman

That's what I am getting at. If his predatory behavior is a result of his mental illness, then the best solution is to get the guy into some kind of treatment or locked up in a ward as you suggest.

If you assume he is just doing this because he is just a bad person, then you can't do anything about him until he is caught. Once he gets out of jail (or more likely let go scott free) then the pattern repeats.


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## Bruce Monkhouse

It's his job. He's just a criminal who knows that getting caught and doing a little time is just part of the lifestyle.  

Remember, doing time is NOT the hard thing you see on TV,..the average Joe would take it as a rest period.  No laundry, dishes, cooking, lots of sleep time....


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## Pieman

> Remember, doing time is NOT the hard thing you see on TV,..the average Joe would take it as a rest period.  No laundry, dishes, cooking, lots of sleep time....



Sounds kinda nice...wait, don't tempt me!


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## ChowUser

A friend shared this article.  Sounds like what's "ailing" John. Has anyone reported this guy for fraud in SK?

http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/the-lying-disease/Content?oid=15337239


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## Kat Stevens

The answer is much simpler.  He's a predatory criminal with no conscience, end of.


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## Pieman

> The answer is much simpler.  He's a predatory criminal with no conscience, end of.



From what I read about him, he seems to fit the definition of a Sociopath:

http://sociopathicstyle.com/traits/classic.htm

But really, one needs a shrink to evaluate him to know one way or the other.


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## ChowUser

He's baaaaaaaaaaaaaaack.  Same old shit (Irish references, sailing, cooking, even the breed of dog he claims to have!):  https://www.facebook.com/john.hill.54

Lots of middle aged women and people from all around the world are his "friends"---no surprise there, I guess.


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## Bruce Monkhouse

I see the pathetic twerp is still scamming........[scroll down to the picture of the piece of shit]

http://ckom.com/story/saskatoon-s-lighthouse-officially-opened/74612


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## Nfld Sapper

Bruce Monkhouse said:
			
		

> I see the pathetic twerp is still scamming........[scroll down to the picture of the piece of shit]
> 
> http://ckom.com/story/saskatoon-s-lighthouse-officially-opened/74612



First Posted: Sep 11, 2012 5:45pm | Last Updated: Sep 11, 2012 6:56pm

Think the article is a little bit stale now....


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## Bruce Monkhouse

I got a message from the author of the  book  about this clown that looks like he got 'made' and just recently left there......


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## Nfld Sapper

Ack.


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## my72jeep

Sorry for the necro post. Does any one have a current link on John? Hes wormed his way onto a form m n and I wanto warn the owner.


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## Jarnhamar

my72jeep said:
			
		

> Sorry for the necro post. Does any one have a current link on John? Hes wormed his way onto a form m n and I wanto warn the owner.



Pm Inbound


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## my72jeep

Thanks


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## tomahawk6

Like a bad penny.......


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## my72jeep

Yah he is, and I can’t find a link to any of the news articles he’s in. Like he perged them all


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## Clovermeadow

Hi there, I am a real estate agent in Alberta and was contacted by a John Melvin Hill. We have only spoken on the phone and he is super characteristic, but his stories just seemed too big. He wants to write an offer on one of my listings and has sent me a copy of his drivers license to get things started. Something just does not seem right. Is this him?


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## Burrows

Clovermeadow said:


> Hi there, I am a real estate agent in Alberta and was contacted by a John Melvin Hill. We have only spoken on the phone and he is super characteristic, but his stories just seemed too big. He wants to write an offer on one of my listings and has sent me a copy of his drivers license to get things started. Something just does not seem right. Is this him?



Hi Clovermeadow,

The behaviour you are describing does line up with what was stated by various members.  With that said, we wouldn't be able to comment as to whether your John Melvin Hill is the same person or a different person with the same name.

I would suggest you conduct your own due diligence, as you should with any buyer, and exercise your own sense of discretion.


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## Mike Bobbitt

Folks, he may be on the move again, looking for real estate in Halifax. Please proceed with caution.


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## NavyShooter

I've got an a$$hole neighbour that's a real-estate agent.  I should hook him up.


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## FireflyTO

Mike Bobbitt said:


> All,
> 
> It is with regret that I must inform you that former Army.ca member Big Bad John appears to have misstated some facts and led people astray. Many of the personal facts presented by John Hill (AKA Sean Hill) did not add up under scrutiny, and many claims he made seemed "too good to be true." Mr. Hill has recently erased all tracks of himself from this site.
> 
> If anyone still has contact with Mr. Hill, especially if financial or personal information is involved, I strongly urge you to proceed with caution. His last known e-mail addresses is tinmanjohn57@sympatico.ca, and he has been known to use cobhman@campus.ie previously.
> 
> John, if the information I have is somehow in error, you know how to contact me to set the record straight.


Just thought you may want an update. He is officially under investigation by Toronto Police Service for fraud. He was running a "feeding homeless veterans" charity in the east end and soliciting donations on Facebook.

Here is the information of the investigation.

Constable Colin Lai of 55 Division has a file open (reference # 2022-124-8218). Anyone who donated to this (alleged) con artist is encouraged to contact police (via the online reporting portal for losses under $5,000).

I will admit that I allowed him to post here despite my initial misgivings - he DM’ed me and convinced￼￼ me to help him raise money “on behalf of homeless veterans”. Now his profile is blank and he has disappeared.

I think that we’re going to stick to our group page rule of no asking for monetary donations, unless it’s for a registered charity. One or two bad apples spoil the entire barrel.


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