Frances Leate
POLO player Jack Kidd – brother of model Jodie – and Genesis star Mike Rutherford have fallen victim to an alleged Sotogrande conman.
Simon Welsh, 40, owner of polo team Cancha 2, is accused of leaving the pair with a string of unpaid debts resulting in Kidd’s ponies being impounded.
The polo team were undefeated under Kidd’s captaincy, winning at Sotogrande’s Santa Maria Polo Club last season.
Kidd was shocked to discover his team owner and friend had not paid a penny towards stable and groom costs, nor had he paid the team. Kidd, who needs €39,000 to get his ten ponies back, said: “Without my horses, I can’t work. My career is canned.”
Rutherford, founder of rock band Genesis, who has been playing polo for several years and rented a villa to Welsh, is now alerting other polo clubs about the businessman. He claims Welsh left the property without paying a penny in rent or bills after staying there for eight months.
“I got off lightly, but I feel very sorry for Jack, who has had his polo ponies impounded as a result,” said the guitarist. Welsh, originally from Manchester, is reported to have left several other wealthy friends out of pocket.
British publisher Julian Worth has won several rulings against Welsh after he failed to pay back a loan of €186,000 in Switzerland. “He came to Gstaad, we became friends and our children went to the same school,’ said Worth.
“He claimed to be the beneficiary of a £14?million estate, but was having problems with the taxman.
“I have not seen a penny of the money I lent him in good faith,” he added.
Welsh also has links in Monaco and Dubai.
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