Yahoo Movies Champagne-swigging fraud gang jailed for £400,000 scam plot
Sipping champagne and posing with cigars – these are the shameful criminals who swindled their victims out of more than £400,000 in a major series of scams.
The group of 12 criminals – including TOWIE’s Mike Hassini – operated a series of scams involving diamonds and other investments.
While defrauding their victims, the crooks shared pictures on social media showing them partying in clubs, smoking cigars and drinking expensive champagne.
But as the final member was sentenced on Monday, a long-running case comes to a close that sees the shameless thieves jailed for a total of almost 12 years.
Detective Chief Inspector Lee Morton, of Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “This complex case has finally finished with the final defendant sentenced.
“The main players involved with this scam, Radford-Mathurin, along with George Herron, Samuel Jeal, Christopher Kirk and Rakeem Dixon, lived lavish lifestyles using the funds gained from their crimes.
“All five have been jailed for almost 12 years and will have plenty of time to think of their actions.
“The other defendants all played a key role in the fraud by laundering the cash.
“I would like to praise all the victims for their support during our investigation.
“I hope these outcomes offer some justice to you.”
Timus Radford-Mathurin, 31, from Chelmsford, Essex was jailed for 18 months at Chelmsford Crown Court for converting criminal property after previously being found guilty at trial on November 14.
Police first received complaints in 2015 from investors who had been defrauded of significant sums of cash by two companies.
The victims were cold called by people working for Bridgewater Associates Ltd and RSD Assets Ltd, who claimed to make profits in the sale of coloured diamonds and online binary products.
They were sent professional-looking brochures, purchase agreements and registration forms, sometimes even before they had agreed to buy.
When they invested into the diamond scheme, they were sent reports that gave details to show the authenticity of the specific diamond purchased.
This scam was given a further air of authenticity by the fact that there was an established company in the USA, and the fraudsters had used their logo.
When they invested in the binary options, victims were told that their funds would be traded on their behalf in various different markets, including coffee and currency.
They were given password-access to a website where they could watch the progress of their trades and see whether they were making or losing money.
The investors told police that when they spoke to brokers they believed they were talking to the same person but under a different name.
When victims made enquiries about their investments, they were often lied to or ignored.
Radford-Mathurin was the last of the 12 to be convicted for his role in the scams, which also involved binary trading – a high-risk form of investment on stock, currency and commodity markets.
George Herron, 26, of no fixed address, was previously jailed for two years and eight months after admitting two counts of conspiracy to defraud.
Samuel Jeal, 24, of Bromley, London was jailed for three years and six months after being found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud.
Christopher Kirk, 26, of Waltham Abbey, Essex was jailed for two years and four months following a trial for conspiracy to defraud.
Rakeem Dixon, 25, of Paddock Mead, Harlow, received 18 months for money laundering.
Michael Hassini, 24, of Pilgrims Hatch, Essex; Thomas Mead, 24, of Beckenham, London; Christopher White, 30, of Romford, London; Muhammed Bah, 29, of East Ham, London; Nicholas Canty, 30, of Keston, London; and Peter Domokos, 40, of Hatfield, Herts., all received suspended sentences for money laundering in the fraud.
Amy Palmer, 27, of Orpington, London received a 12-month community order for money laundering.
