Former detective guilty in fraud trial

Retired detective sergeant Christopher Taylor was found guilty of money laundering as part of an operation where victims were encouraged to part with cash in return for work as non-sexual escorts and in a separate debt elimination scheme.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that the money obtained through the fraud was used to buy property and boats for Antoni Muldoon, the gang’s linchpin.

In the escort fraud cases, 14,000 UK victims were enticed to register for a £250 to £450 fee in the hope of earning income by accompanying clients on dates, events and dinners. Once the fees were paid the dates were cancelled and no work would materialise.

In the debt elimination cases, some 3,300 victims were cold called and told that any credit agreements they had entered into prior to 2007 were unenforceable and that debts could be written off for an upfront fee of between £540 to more than £2,000.

Millions of pounds poured through various bank accounts linked to the frauds with some being funnelled to accounts in Spain.

Taylor, 57, from Wakefield, and Bradley Rogers, 29, from Malaga, were found guilty of money laundering but cleared of conspiracy to defraud.

On Friday Mark Bell, 41, from Westerfield, near Ipswich, Colin Samuels, 61, of Redgrave, Suffolk, and Geraldine French, 60, from Spain, were each found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud.

Muldoon had already admitted conspiracy to defraud and money laundering. All six defendants will be sentenced next month.

Suffolk Trading Standards, which brought the prosecution, said more than 17,000 victims lost out in the scams. Senior investigating officer Stuart Hughes said: “False promises and false hopes were offered to consumers regarding the likelihood of work or ability to clear debts.”