Fraud comes in all shapes and sizes - as shown by the news that a pastor and his wife have been convicted of a total of eleven counts of defrauding individuals and companies of thousands of pounds over a fourteen year period.
According to Thames Valley Police, Bruce and Belinda Scott were found guilty at Reading Crown Court last week following a six week trial. Mr Scott was convicted of ten counts of fraud and deception and Mrs Scott was convicted of one count of fraud by false representation. They have both been released on bail pending sentencing.
The couple, who are South African nationals, lived in High Wycombe, where Mr Scott was a pastor at the Covenant Church of the Cross, a small church based in Farnham Common.
Between 1998 and 2012, the Scotts persuaded a number of people, including members of the church, friends, business associates and a school, to hand over substantial sums of money - amounting to nearly £250,000, says the police. Despite entering into either agreements or arrangements to pay instalments, fees or rent, the Scotts either never did so, or found spurious reasons or delaying tactics with which to put off or forgo making any payments. They apparently spent the money on themselves, and not as had been intended.
According to reports, Mr Scott has been warned to expect a prison sentence and the Thames Valley Police Economic Crime Unit, which investigated the fraud, is to carry out further investigations to see whether any funds can be recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The Proceeds of Crime Act is a complicated area of law. As the name suggests, it is designed to allow the authorities to seize cash and recover assets bought with the proceeds of crime. But did you know that it also protects the rights of third parties - family members, business partners, private tenants and anyone else who may have a beneficial interest in the relevant property?
Contact Lewis Nedas’ Criminal Lawyers in London
If you are a party to property which is the subject of a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act and require specialist legal advice, please contact our solicitors Jeffrey Lewis or Siobhain Egan on 020 7387 2032 or complete our online enquiry form here.
This blog post is intended as a news item only - no connection between Lewis Nedas and the parties concerned is intended or implied.
