POLICE are investigating whether a British entrepreneur may have faked his own death near a 500-foot cliff edge in Bali after it was revealed he was wanted over fraud allegations.
Ryan Roth, 39, left a letter to his ex-girlfriend along with his belongings near the Selonding Temple in Pecatu Village on Monday morning but police have been unable to find a body in the secluded beauty spot.
The Australian news channel, Nine News, reported that the British national had been accused of scamming people in several countries as far as the United States, Australia and France and was wanted by New South Wales police.
Authorities in Bali said they are now probing whether the entrepreneur, from Southampton, is still alive after an apparent suicide note appeared at the scene as well as his motorbike, which was spotted nearby at Uluwatu cliff.
Bushes appeared undisturbed at the bottom of the 500-foot cliff and police say they have no indication as to whether he may have taken his own life, been involved in an accident or even fleed the scene.
South Kuta Police Chief, Yusak Agustinus Sooai, said: “We haven’t confirmed whether he fell, suicide, or leave the location safe.”
Hari Adi Purnomo, head of the Denpasar search team, also told 9News: “We went through all the procedures, but in the field, in fact we found no victims or signs that led to the fall of the victims.”
Police said the letter, found inside Roth’s bag, was addressed to his former girlfriend, Alice, and read: “I’m sorry Alice, I’m the man you fell in love with, but past things I never did made you feel like I was a stranger. I’ll always love you. None of this is your fault. Your old man xx.”
She was contacted by police after the incident but told them that she had not had any recent problems with her ex.
New South Wales police confirmed that a man was wanted for questioning over the allegations but they had not had any formal communication.
A spokesperson said: “Following a 2008 online fraud report allegedly involving a then aged 27-year-old man, officers from Sydney City Police Area Command conducted an investigation.
“Investigators are yet to formally speak to the man who left the country.”
A post on a website for scam victims claims that Ryan Roth, who allegedly used the name Ryan Flynn, had sold a “1970 penny to an elderly woman for some A$8,100, essentially robbing her of her life savings”.
Others also claimed that Roth had outstanding rent payments back in Sydney and that he had conned a former girlfriend out of thousands, leaving her homeless.
Allegations also surfaced that Roth had scammed others in the UK and France ‘using the disguise of a child sex trafficking charity’.
On his website, the businessman is said to have studied a law and psychology degree and set up his first company at 11-years-old.
South Kuta Police chief, Adj. Comr. Yusak Agustinus Sooai, told the Jakarta Post it was possible that Mr Roth could have jumped from the cliff or fallen by mistake.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: “We are supporting the family of a British man missing in Bali, and are in contact with the Indonesian police who are carrying out the search.”
Bali police are appealing for people who know Roth to come forward while searches are ongoing.
