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‘Thief of Hearts’ Now Facing Perjury Charge

HAWLEY — Prosecutors in Wayne County say a man who claims he suffered head injuries when hit by a car in the bar parking lot made the whole story up. It i...
ken witkowski

HAWLEY -- Prosecutors in Wayne County say a man who claims he suffered head injuries when hit by a car in the bar parking lot made the whole story up.

It is the same man featured in a Newswatch 16 investigation in 2012 when a group of women said he romanced them, and took their money.

Ken Witkowski is charged with lying to police about an incident in the parking lot of a bar in Hamlin two years ago, an incident prosecutors call a staged accident.

Witkowski entered court with a dog. Police say the animal was there to help him just in case Witkowski suffered a seizure during the hearing in Hawley.

But prosecutors say any medical issues Witkowski may be dealing with were not the result of an incident at Benneco's Restaurant in Hamlin in May 2013.

Witkowski's ex-roomate George Fielding testified he was paid $20 by Witkowski to get a man's license number, then to smash the tail light to set up an accident.

Fielding testified Witkowski punched himself several times at Benneco's, and used a pen to cut himself to make his reported accident look real.

Witkowski was taken to the hospital and the owner of that vehicle was later charged with a hit and run crash.

In court, Fielding admitted he initially lied to police about the whole incident, but he decided to testify because he wanted to right a wrong, considering the owner of the vehicle was charged and faced prison time.

It's not the first time Witkowski has been in the news.

In September 2012, a Newswatch 16 investigation showed how Witkowski's ex-fiances say he romanced them, then later took tens of thousands of dollars.

"He uses women and insurance companies to front his lifestyle."

The women are still owed some of the money.

In the latest case involving Witkowski, police eventually dropped the hit and run charges against the owner of the vehicle that Witkowski claimed hit him.

Prosecutors say Witkowski set it all up, likely to collect an insurance settlement.

Witkowski said nothing as he left court. The perjury case against him is now headed to trial in Wayne County.

"We'll let the justice system unfold and see what happens through the course of the case," said Witkowski's lawyer Jason Shrive.

If convicted, Witkowski could face up to five years in prison on the perjury charges.

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