A Florida bigamist who illegally wed three women in separate counties without their knowledge has been sentenced to probation, sidestepping jail time despite a felony charge.
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Henry Betsey Jr. entered a “no contest” plea in court, admitting to the offense without formally confessing guilt.
The plea led to a sentence of two years’ probation, sparking questions from his victims, who say the legal system failed to protect them.
Michele Betsey, Brandi Betsey, and Tonya Betsey, all unknowingly became Mrs. Betsey after meeting Henry through various online platforms.
Each believed they were his only wife. But court documents show that Betsey married all three within a two-year span across Hernando, Manatee, and Duval counties.
Michele, his third and most recent wife, recalled how quickly their relationship progressed after connecting on Match.com.
“I met him on Match.com. We met in early November,” she told WFTS.
They married at the Hernando County courthouse on November 23, 2022. She later discovered Henry was still legally bound to another woman.
That woman, Brandi, had said she also found Henry through an online dating app.
“I met him on a dating app. The first time I ever got on a dating app,” she said. “He said all the right things.”
She and Henry had tied the knot earlier that year on February 22 at the Manatee County Courthouse.
“We got married right there at the courthouse, no questions asked. There was nothing that was flagged in the system for him having already two prior open marriage licenses,” she added.
Before either Brandi or Michele entered the picture, Henry had already married his first wife, Tonya, whom he met on Tinder.
The pair were wed at the Duval County Courthouse on November 24, 2020.
Reflecting on their relationship, Tonya said, “Meeting on a dating site and the way he portrayed himself, he sold the perfect person, when in reality he was none of those things.”
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The tangled web began unraveling in May when authorities in Seminole County arrested Betsey at his home.
Bigamist caught after wives figure out they’re not the only one
According to investigators, it was Tonya who cracked the case by running her own search.
“I just started county by county, putting in his name. And that’s when I came up with the marriage to Michele and the marriage to Brandi,” she said.
The news came as a shock to Michele, who only found out about the overlapping marriages when Tonya reached out directly.
“She found me and she messaged me, and I had no idea that she was actually still married to him,” Michele said.
All three women believe Henry sought them out with financial motives in mind.
“The day we got married, he said, ‘We need to make your bank account a joint bank account,'” Brandi recounted.
Michele echoed similar concerns: “Child support, alimony, anything that comes with, you know, the extra perks of marrying a newly single, divorced woman.”
Despite their suspicions, court proceedings revealed that Henry Betsey Jr. had no job and claimed he had no funds in any bank account.
The women also disclosed a darker side to their marriages. Brandi and Tonya obtained court-issued protection orders after alleging domestic violence.
Michele said she evicted Henry from her home just five days after their wedding.
Following his arrest, Henry took legal steps to dissolve his web of marriages. He filed for divorce from Tonya and moved to annul his unions with Brandi and Michele.
The case has ignited concern about the need for improved marriage license verification systems.
“If the counties did talk, it would have saved me a lot of heartache, a lot of money, a lot of stress,” Tonya remarked.
The bigamist formally pleaded guilty to the felony bigamy charge in May. At his sentencing hearing, he issued an apology.
“First and foremost, I want to apologize to the ladies and I want to apologize to the court administration and to my family and friends that had to be involved in this. Because ultimately this is something that I didn’t wish to be part of,” he said.
Michele, who was present in court, remained skeptical of his words. “The fact that he is now a convicted felon, that speaks mountains. And I feel like that is vindication on our parts,” she said. “Do I think that he has any remorse? Absolutely not.”
Betsey’s probation comes with several conditions. In addition to serving two years under court supervision, he must complete 100 hours of community service, undergo a mental health evaluation, and stay off all dating platforms.
Man pleads guilty over multiple wives
Henry Betsey’s case mirrors a similar saga from 2019, when a man dubbed the “Cupid of Chaos” was arrested in Columbus, Ohio, on allegations of serial bigamy across multiple states.
Michael Middleton, then 43, faced charges in Maine, New Hampshire, Georgia, and Alabama.
He reportedly married four women and exploited each for financial gain.
According to an indictment out of Strafford County, New Hampshire, Middleton married Alicia Grant in 2013, despite still being wed to three other women across different states.
Grant later claimed she was defrauded of $20,000 by the bigamist. “He makes you feel special, he makes you feel like he actually cares about you, and then he marries you, abuses you, drains your assets and leaves,” she said.
Authorities tracked Middleton down after a tipster alerted deputies in Ohio. He pleaded guilty to bigamy and received a 12-month suspended sentence.
His sentence also included domestic abuse and substance abuse evaluations and any necessary follow-up treatment.
