A Florida man has been sentenced after authorities uncovered that he was married to three women at the same time, with none of them aware of the others until legal procedures exposed the truth
Henry Betsey Jr., 50, pleaded “nolo contendere” to felony bigamy in May, which means he neither accepted nor denied responsibility but agreed to the penalty. On Thursday, he was sentenced to two years of probation and will be registered as a convicted felon.
The Marriages and Discovery
Betsey’s first marriage to Tonya Betsey occurred in Duval County, Florida, in November 2020, after they met on the dating app Tinder. Tonya described him as the “perfect person” at first, but things took a turn when she learned about his other marriages.
His second marriage was to Brandy Allen, whom he wed on February 22, 2022, in Manatee County, Florida. They met on the Stir dating app, which is designed for single parents, and got married at the courthouse without any questions or red flags.
Shortly after, Betsey married Michele Narens on November 23, 2022, in Hernando County. Michele met Henry on Match.com, and they quickly got married after only three weeks of dating.
However, the reality of his multiple marriages surfaced when Tonya, his first wife, reached out to Michele, revealing the truth about Henry’s previous marriages. Michele was shocked, saying, “I had no idea that she was still married to him.”
Financial Motive Behind the Marriages
The women involved in these marriages all came to believe that Betsey married them for financial reasons, not for love. Brandy, Henry’s second wife, told local news station WFTS that he pressured her to open a joint bank account with him the day they got married.
The women also said they were not aware of his other wives until much later.
Betsey’s Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Henry Betsey turned himself in on October 23, 2024, at the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, where he admitted that he was wanted and wished to face the charges. Authorities had been investigating his actions for some time. After his arrest, Betsey filed for divorce from Tonya and is now working to annul his other two marriages.
In court, he apologized to the women and everyone involved, but Michele Betsey, his most recent wife, didn’t believe his apology was sincere. “The fact that he is now a convicted felon, that speaks mountains. And I feel like that is vindication on our parts,” she said. “Do I think that he has any remorse? Absolutely not.”
This case sheds light on a disturbing pattern of manipulation and deceit, as Henry Betsey used the institution of marriage to further his own financial interests.
While he faces probation and will be listed as a felon, the women involved have expressed that the apology feels hollow, as they believe his motives were selfish and materialistic. The situation serves as a grim reminder of the potential for manipulation within personal relationships.
