An Albuquerque, N.M., man accused of concocting an elaborate identity as a decorated veteran and gifted trauma surgeon to con a Fort Wayne woman has admitted to being a fraud.

In December, a federal grand jury indicted Douglas Martin, 58, on one count of making false statements and a second count of wire fraud. Martin pleaded guilty to the charges this week and will be sentenced in April. He faces up to 25 years in prison and more than $250,000 in fines.

The identity Martin created for himself, to steal money from a Fort Wayne woman he met through an online dating service, was impressive, at least on paper: multidisciplinary surgeon, military veteran decorated with such honors as the Navy Cross and the Legion of Merit, and graduate of the University of London.

Two weeks after Martin met the woman, he asked her to marry him and move to South Carolina. read more