This is as I see it. I'm all for you protecting yourself both physically and psycologically but I'm sorry and I'm going to give this guy the benefit of the doubt.
You said you googled him and there was a missing "period" in his life and rumors about his coworkers, unless there is something more than that I think you are judging his personal life which isn't your place to do.
I'll give you a personal example of this. In my second year of Uni I did a tourism subject. I did a huge report on Western Australian Tourism. I handed it in thought I'd get a great mark. My lecturer sent me an email within the hour that he had failed me from the subject because I had plaigarised. What happened is I used a different referencing style (Harvard not APA). It was still referenced and there was no intent of plaigarism. I immediately sought help from my student union and I was advised to talk to my lecturer about it. Try reasoning. So I approached my lecturer. An old german fellow (who didn't really know anything about Australia Tourism). During this meeting he threatened my by saying that I should be glad he's not taking the matter further (as he is supposed to do by policy), and that this will burn me for the rest of my career, and that this is a criminal offence. I burst into tears.
A few weeks later he obviously let it slip in front of all my classmates and my other lecturers, and the head of schools that I was under investigation for plaigarism. I wasn't..he said he wasn't taking it any further. He publicly humiliated me and put my reputation on the line.
I've since put claims through to throw out the plaigarism charge and to also make complaints about his actions around me. There was nothing sexual by any means, but even now, a year on, my lecturers always show unnecessay concern over my assignments. No one will go in group work with me because they are suspcious. After many complaints this lecturer still hasn't apologised to me or the rest of the student body to clear my name.
This is just an example of why you shouldn't judge a person by what GOOGLE says about them. I've googled population statistic of america and results have been porn. Does that mean america's population is made up by the 300 million hits on Debbie does Dallas? No
For all you know his wife could have died from some terrible disease and was in mourning.
If there are other things that you haven't told us and don''t want then, that's fine but then heavely biasing your opinions doesn't really seem fair.
Do you have anyway way of reaching him? If so, have a chat about you having a chance to look at his work. Bace was saying girls "make men bu stuff and then leave etc etc" well that all has to do with power. If you feel uncomfortable, shift the power. By inspecting his work, and critically too (be harsh) he will either see you as a confident photographer and not intimidated by him.
As this guy shows you his expensive house and expensive boat, you'll become impressed and think "he stick with this guy and a bit of this could be mine", but show him that it doesn't matter(...hide the fact that we'd all really love that lifestyle)
Go and meet him. Tell a friend where you are going. Hell even have them near by. Tell them to ring you after about 15 minutes...You can then decide if you want it to be "an emergency and leave" or a "sure honey I'll bring milk home" call.
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atta girl.... going away with him would have been a BAD IDEA!..... lucky for me im not a cute blond chick.... but i bet you'd still be able to give him a hefty slap eh minty 
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