Two elderly retirees lost their whole money after being told by someone they mistook for a cop to acquire gold bars.
Ashley Marlon Thompson, 26, was sentenced to 21 months in prison for money laundering and fraud by false representation at Inner London Crown Court.
Last year, the victims reported to North Yorkshire Police that they had been victims of a courier fraud scam, in which people are phoned by someone posing as a police officer and told that their bank accounts have been compromised.
The victim is usually instructed to go to a bank, take all of their funds, and hand them over to a ‘police courier’ for’safekeeping.’
However, in a tweet related to the crime, the two victims were instructed to spend their money on gold bullion and then hand it over to the fictitious cops.
Thompson tried to sell one of the gold bullion bars in a London pawnbroker in November of last year, and officers were notified.
He was later apprehended by officers from the City of London and North Yorkshire Police, and charged with fraud and money laundering.
During a police interview, Thompson stated he had leased a storage facility and discovered the gold bar in a bag of equipment, but he had no idea who owned it.
He stated he had waited to see if someone had claimed it first, but when no one had, he chose to sell it.
Thompson had falsified documentation for a lock-up facility that did not exist, according to officers.
‘Throughout the trial, Thompson denied any knowledge of the gold bar’s origin, sticking to his story that he had simply found it in a bag of tools,’ said North Yorkshire Police detective constable Neil Brodhurst.
‘He also couldn’t explain why he’d gone to the lengths of faking a hire contract for a non-existent lock-up facility to show the pawnbroker.
‘The two victims of this courier fraud were absolutely devastated by it. They were groomed over a period of several months with their trust and good nature callously exploited to the extent that they lost their entire life savings to someone claiming to be a police officer.’
Thompson was found guilty of money laundering and admitted to one count of fraud by false representation.
He was sentenced to 15 months in prison for money laundering and six months in prison for the other charge.
Economic Crime Unit officers are now collaborating with gold dealers to raise awareness of the crime and assist buyers in recognizing suspicious sales.
‘The fraudsters use extremely calculated and manipulative tactics to persuade their victims that they are legitimate police officers or bank officials, and they will keep going until they get what they want,’ said DC Brodhurst.
‘Remember, the police or your bank will never contact you and ask you to move or transfer money and will definitely never ask you to purchase high value items or to hand over your bank cards.
‘Please be on your guard and share this warning with your friends, family and networks.’