An Australian has spoken out about the devastating effects of catfish fishing after her sister, who is believed to be in a relationship with actor James Spader, missed her mother’s death while attempting to meet the Hollywood star.
*Jenny told Chron Australia her younger sister, 55, believes the Blacklist actor has been in love with her for more than two years.
Jenny said she “allegedly” met the actor at a coffee shop in Australia about nine years ago.
She explained her sister gave the “scammer” more than $100,000 after borrowing $9,500 from her, taking at least $70,000 from her parents’ trust fund and even selling her house to send money to the “actor.”
“She told us they met him at a coffee shop — whether it was him or not we don’t know,” Jenny said.
A 55-year-old Australian woman is convinced she is in a relationship with Hollywood actor James Spader (pictured), who is known for his work in film and television. The woman has sent the person claiming to be the actor more than $100,000
“She had taken money from my parents’ bank account, which amounts to elder abuse until I had to step in because I had power of attorney and dumped her.
“She sold her house and promised that she would return the money once it was settled, but nothing was returned.”
James Spader is an American actor best known for playing eccentric characters in films such as Sex, Lies and Videotape, Stargate, Crash and Secretary and for starring in television series such as Boston Legal, The Office and The Blacklist.
The 62-year-old has two sons with his first wife, Victoria Kneel, who he divorced in 2004. He’s been in a long-term relationship since then and has a son together with Alien co-star Leslie Stefanson.
Spader is known to be notoriously private and does not use any form of social media.
Jenny said her sister refused to reveal any more details about their relationship after family and friends tried to convince her it wasn’t real.
The pair are believed to be communicating via Snapchat to protect the man’s privacy as the app doesn’t record conversations.
The relationship has taken a mental, physical and emotional toll on the family, reaching a breaking point this June when Jenny watched her mother die while her sister was “chasing him around”.
“Poor mum, she was bedridden for six months and she was told he would come and see her and she waited and waited but he never showed up,” Jenny said, fighting back tears.
“The worst part is that the weekend our mum died my sister flew to Sydney to obviously meet him and that didn’t happen.
“To see your mother die and watch her die while your own sister is not around… our relationship will never be the same. Never.’
The couple is believed to be communicating via Snapchat – as conversations are not recorded so the man can maintain his privacy (STOCK woman opens Snapchat application).
Jenny said her mother’s death should have been a “wake-up call” for her sister, but unfortunately it pushed her further afield.
The catfish fisherman has used multiple excuses every time they were supposed to meet, including catching Covid, needing an updated pacemaker, lack of funds due to a divorce and investigations by the IRS.
“The latest is he was in an accident and they had to cover it up,” Jenny said.
“I said, ‘but he promoted season 10 of The Blacklist’ and was told, ‘well, they can put CGI (computer generated imagery) of him in anything and they don’t put out press releases’.”
Jenny said her sister was packed and ready for a “private jet” to pick her up multiple times, but it’s always canceled at the last minute.
Her sister even flew to Canada in October 2021 to meet the man but never saw him in person after receiving another apology.
Jenny’s sister even sent a picture of the actor’s girlfriend that he sent her. After searching the image backwards, Jenny discovered that the person depicted had died six years earlier.
The woman has repeatedly explained that her 55-year-old sister had packed and was waiting for a “private jet” to pick her up, but each time it was canceled she had to send $5,000 to help with a flight problem (STOCK IMAGE woman pack luggage)
Jenny said the catfish fisherman took advantage of her sister at a time when she was vulnerable and manipulated her to the point that she became alienated from family and friends.
“The whole thing is really sad. She really jumped and is in full swing. There’s no point in talking to her… it just keeps going,” Jenny said.
“I don’t know why she can’t give us more information, why we can’t talk to him.
“She said she couldn’t answer questions. She just says it’s not her story to tell. You must not disclose any information. To me it’s just bulls***.
“She was told to keep it a secret and said she would. From everything we’ve read online, the bells are starting to ring. So many things don’t add up, but everything fits my sister.”
The woman’s sister explained her siblings missed their mother’s death because she was trying to meet James Spader (pictured with partner Leslie Stefanson).
Jenny, who suffers from a degenerative autoimmune disease and was recently diagnosed with breast cancer, said she has to look after her elderly father, who has dementia, on her own because her sister has other priorities that are “all about him.”
When asked what she would say if she could deliver a message to the man, Jenny replied: “It would be ‘What the hell? sister, to talk to us and only to talk to you”.
“I can’t tell who it is, what he has or where he’s from.
“Somewhere in the depths of my mind I’m hoping it turns out to be true for my sister, but it doesn’t seem real.
“It seems impossible for a multi-millionaire not to have money. James Spader would not ask a random Australian woman for money.”
The 62-year-old (right) has two sons with his first wife, Victoria Kneel, before divorcing in 2004 and has been in a relationship ever since, sharing a son with Alien co-star Leslie Stefanson (left).
Jenny said the whole family thinks she is “crazy” and wants her sister to “wake up” and see the scammer destroyed her life and relationships.
‘Our older brother thinks she’s crazy. I think she’s totally insane. My daughter thinks she’s crazy and won’t talk to her at all and wiped her out as a family,” Jenny said.
“I don’t think she saw what she did and how it affects everyone … or she did and that’s why she withdrew from everyone and that makes it just as bad.”
Jenny said she hopes her story will help other people who have been victims of the same catfisher or other similar scams.
“It’s devastating all around, let alone that the person going through it is so knotted up and still thinks it’s real,” Jenny said.
“If anything, I hope my sister’s story helps someone else realize that what they are going through is not real. It’s not a normal relationship and that’s not how family is treated.’
*Name changed for anonymity reasons.