According to information from the Herald Express, British genealogist Cecil Humphery-Smith has been conned. Although I can’t say I know Mr. Humphery-Smith personally, he and I have corresponded numerous times over the last 25 years. Following is an excerpt from an item posted at thisissouthdeveon.co.uk:
A con man stole £532,000 from authors who were convinced he would help turn their books into films, a court heard.
Robin Price, 51, of Ilfracombe, Devon, encouraged authors and budding writers to pay exaggerated literary fees and invest in film deals but, the court was told, the deals were non-existent.
The court heard that among his victims was Cecil Humphery-Smith OBE, founder of the Institute of Heraldic and Genealogical Studies.
Price, was said to be a literary agent and the contributing editor of a publishing company based in Yelland, North Devon, but now he has been warned he faces prison after admitting stealing more than half a million pounds from authors.
