A Florida man was apprehended in an astonishing case of multiple bigamy after it was revealed he had married three women simultaneously in separate counties within the state. The accused, Henry Betsey Jr., is facing felony bigamy charges, as reported by ABC Action News.
Over a span of two years, Betsey Jr. managed to sustain parallel marriages with three women—Tonya, Brandi, and Michele Betsey—without them being aware of each other. Each of these relationships began through different dating apps like Tinder, Stir, and Match.com. Tonya became his wife in November 2020, followed by Brandi in February 2022, and Michele in November of that same year.
Betsey Jr. married them in distinct counties, a tactic that helped him evade detection by authorities regarding his other legal unions. According to the affected women, the system failed them miserably. "If the counties communicated, it would have saved me a lot of heartache, money, and stress," Tonya expressed to ABC Action News.
As time passed, the women began to suspect that Henry’s motives were more financial than affectionate. "On our wedding day, he said, ‘We need to turn your bank account into a joint account,’" Brandi recalled. "Child support, alimony, all the perks... the extra benefits of marrying a newly single and divorced woman," Michele explained.
Recent court hearings revealed that Henry has no income or money in the bank and currently resides with a "Christian friend." In addition to emotional deceit and possible fraud, Henry faced accusations of abusive behavior. Michele and Tonya obtained restraining orders for domestic violence, while Brandi kicked him out of her house just five days after they married.
The case unraveled when Tonya investigated Henry’s name in civil records across various counties, thus uncovering his other marriages. Michele, upon learning this, approached authorities in Hernando County, prompting an investigation that led to his arrest.
Ken Burke, clerk of Pinellas County, pointed out that Florida’s ease of processing civil marriages can facilitate system abuse in such cases. "We married right there at the courthouse, no questions asked. There was no system issue, even though he already had two active marriages," Michele recounted. Burke warned that without a national marriage registry, it is nearly impossible to prevent individuals from marrying multiple times without a trace in other states.
Following his arrest, Henry has filed for divorce from Tonya and is seeking annulments of his marriages to Michele and Brandi. He has pled not guilty to the bigamy charge and is scheduled to appear before a judge later this month. Meanwhile, the three wives hope for justice and that this case will prompt a review of the legal loopholes that allowed this scheme to persist undetected for so long.
"There’s a chance he might just get away with probation. And that’s the most painful part: there’s no accountability," Michele concluded.
Floridian Bigamy Case: Key Questions Answered
What charges is Henry Betsey Jr. facing?
Henry Betsey Jr. is facing felony charges of bigamy for marrying three women simultaneously in different counties.
How did Henry Betsey Jr. manage to marry three women without detection?
He married each woman in separate counties, which prevented authorities from discovering his other legal marriages. The lack of a national marriage registry also contributed to his ability to evade detection.
What actions have the wives taken against Henry Betsey Jr.?
Michele and Tonya obtained restraining orders for domestic violence, while Brandi expelled him from her home shortly after their marriage.
What changes do the affected women hope to see following this case?
The women hope the case will lead to a review of legal loopholes that allowed Henry Betsey Jr.'s scheme to remain undetected for such a long period.