Vulnerable elderly Rugbeians tricked into handing thousands to money launderers - The Rugby Observer

Vulnerable elderly Rugbeians tricked into handing thousands to money launderers

Rugby Editorial 11th Dec, 2017   0

VULNERABLE elderly people in Rugby were among the victims of money launderers tricked into handing over more than £600,000.

Eleven people – including women from Leamington and Kenilworth, and a man from Coventry – have been convicted of money laundering offences at Hove Crown Court.

The defendants were either found guilty or pleaded guilty to 49 offences with a total loss of £614,700, following an investigation by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).

Scott Watkins, 37, of Matlock Road, Coventry, was found guilty of 15 counts of money laundering offences, having received £142,100 from four victims including one in Rugby between August 2014 and April 2015.




Charlotte Morris, 38, of Essex Close, Kenilworth, was found guilty of one count of converting criminal property, having received £6,000 from a victim in the Rugby area in April 2014.

And Chantelle Hinton, 27, of Burbury Close, Leamington, was found guilty of one count of converting criminal property after she received £2,800 from a victim in the North London area in August 2014.


They were among the 11 convicted for offences which took place around the country.

Financial investigator Julie Thompson from SEROCU’s Regional Fraud Team said: “This was a long and complex investigation, with many of the offences dating back to 2014.

“The offenders targeted vulnerable elderly victims, who they tricked into giving them large sums of cash, sometimes their life savings, without any care for the impact this would have on their victims.

“Without the money launderers, who are prepared to knowingly allow their accounts to be used to launder the proceeds of crime, these abhorrent crimes would not happen.

“These convictions send out a clear message to offenders that the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit will pursue all those involved in these despicable crimes against the most vulnerable in our community.

“Our next step after these criminals are sentenced will be to aim to try and get compensation of the victims, in an attempt to recover the money they have spent a lifetime working for.”

All the defendants are to be sentenced on January 8 at Lewes Crown Court.

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