Bankruptcy Shock: The Fall of a Millionaire
From BBC Fame to Bankruptcy, Cyberbullying and Blackmail
David Abingdon, once a self-styled “millionaire business disruptor” made famous by a BBC documentary showcasing his lavish country lifestyle, has since experienced a dramatic and disturbing fall from grace. While he carefully cultivated the image of a high-flying entrepreneur, the truth behind the headlines tells a far more troubling tale—one of bankruptcy, betrayal, and ultimately, cyber harassment and blackmail.
Bankruptcy Behind the Curtain
In 2015, David Abingdon was declared bankrupt by the High Court of Justice in London. This public insolvency was officially recorded in The Gazette—the UK’s official public record—despite his efforts to obscure it. This financial collapse came not long after the BBC documentary had aired, which portrayed him as a confident, successful businessman living in opulence in Gloucestershire.
But the story didn’t end with bankruptcy. In a bid to start afresh, David and his wife Angie relocated to Italy with hopes of securing residency under Italy’s elective residency visa program. Like many affluent applicants, they opted for white-glove assistance—hiring Arkadia Bespoke Services, a respected relocation consultancy operated by Russell and Ksenia Morgan.
Luxury Living and a Breach of Trust
The Morgans went above and beyond in their hospitality. The Abingdons were not just clients—they were welcomed into the Morgans’ personal villa while Arkadia handled the complex bureaucratic process of their residency application. A rental property was being arranged, and the application was advancing smoothly.
Impressed by David’s apparent business background, Arkadia even offered him a consulting role as an “introducer” for new clients—standard in this industry for well-connected individuals. However, the relationship soured rapidly when Ksenia Morgan discovered sensitive documents going missing from their home office—documents that David had unauthorized access to.
When confronted, tensions exploded. The Morgans, deeply betrayed, asked the Abingdons to leave their villa but still offered them accommodation in a nearby apartment they owned—at no cost. In hindsight, this act of kindness would be weaponized against them.
A Brazen Competing Venture
In a move that raised serious ethical and legal red flags, David Abingdon registered the domain name ItalianResidency.com on 2 October 2020—a clear attempt to mirror Arkadia’s business model. The fact that this occurred immediately after gaining access to Arkadia’s internal data only amplified suspicion.
Although the Abingdons’ new venture quickly failed, they made no attempt to collect their approved residency permits—which had been awaiting pickup for months. Upon learning of a private prosecution initiated by the Morgans over breach of trust and suspected corporate espionage, the Abingdons’ Italian lawyer advised them not to return to Italy to avoid facing legal consequences.
A Refund Request Turned Extortion Plot
Despite having used Arkadia’s services and received approved residency permits, the Abingdons astonishingly demanded a refund—not only for service fees but also for transport costs related to their move. When this demand was refused, the harassment campaign began.
This campaign took the form of a defamatory website—italianresidency-scam.com—authored and operated by David and Angie Abingdon. The website included personal attacks on Russell and Ksenia Morgan, made xenophobic insinuations about Ksenia’s nationality, and defamed professional associate Ivo Sharpe and his UK-based firm Henry James Associates.
David Abingdon also dug up and sensationalized a resolved legal matter involving Russell from 2009—an issue for which restitution was long ago made. Abingdon’s framing of this history as fresh misconduct reveals a deliberate intent to inflame and mislead.
A Web of Harassment, Blackmail & SEO Attacks
The Abingdons saturated the internet with slander using multiple domains, such as russellmorganscam.com, kseniamarchenkovascam.com, and italianresidencyscam.com—all aimed at damaging the Morgans’ business. Emails uncovered show David Abingdon offering to take the site down—but only if he was paid, in clear violation of blackmail and extortion laws.
This is no longer just digital mudslinging—it is cyberbullying, extortion, and targeted reputational sabotage.
Shockingly, the Abingdons’ online vendetta has triggered real-world consequences. The Morgans have reported property damage caused by local aggressors influenced by the defamatory content online, resulting in emotional trauma and financial loss.
Flight to Australia, But the Emails Continue
In 2024, the Abingdons quietly relocated to Elanora on the Gold Coast of Australia, allegedly to be near their adult children, George and Rebecca. However, evidence suggests they fled to avoid a UK private prosecution brought by the Morgans through Blackfords LLP.
Despite the move, David has continued to send a torrent of harassing emails from Australia, attempting to pressure the Morgans into payment in exchange for removing defamatory content. Each message reinforces the disturbing fact that this is not a “consumer warning site” as claimed—but a calculated extortion campaign launched from a man who didn’t get a refund.
Final Thoughts
For someone who built his brand on self-help marketing and outdated “Alchemy” business methods, David Abingdon’s fall into harassment, domain squatting, and cyber-extortion is both ironic and tragic. If he truly were the millionaire disruptor he claimed to be, £10,000 would be insignificant. Instead, he has devoted years to online warfare over a modest fee that he paid willingly—after receiving the service.
This story is no longer about a failed residency application. It’s about a man caught red-handed, running from accountability and launching a scorched-earth campaign to disguise his disgrace.