R.L, a professional gambler known as ‘Lord Lester’ was convicted of fraudulent trading and concealing criminal property following a lengthy nine-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court in February.
Cruise Holiday Scams
‘Lord Lester’ from Luton, England, was sentenced to five years for his role in a string of fake cruise holiday scams. Nearly 200 people were victims of the scams, and R.L., who has also gone under several other aliases, made around £400,000 from the schemes.
As part of the scheme, Lester would pull customers in with a Ponzi-style set-up. His scam company would offer unsuspecting customers fake cruise miles that could be used for non-existent rewards. He did this through a fake company called Cruisemiles.
He targeted people travelling on cruises, who would regularly only realise that the scheme was a scam when they arrived at the port.
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A Complex Scheme
During the trial, Judge Alexander Mills, overseeing the case, said that it was “a well-planned and complex fraud carried out over a lengthy period of time”. He said that the defendant had used convoluted terms and conditions to lure in unsuspecting holidaygoers. He would then gaslight the victims into believing that they were at fault for any issues.
The scheme promised exotic cruises for regular travellers and was bolstered by positive reviews being posted on online forums. These were then used to convince any potential customers who were on the fence about the scheme.
Several of the victims have spoken out about the impact that the scheme has had on them. Kim Berthen, from Australia, lost around $8,300 on what she thought was a 30th wedding anniversary trip. She said she was angry and depressed about the scam. Elizabeth Erskine, from New South Wales, expressed her fear at the situation, describing it as harrowing.
Long Investigation
Long Investigation
Lester’s conviction concludes a lengthy investigation into the scheme by police. The National Fraud Intelligence Bureau had processed 324 claims, while Essex police had been looking into Cruisemiles and Lester since 2014. Essex Police Constable Leanne Smith described the investigation as large and complex, with many witness reports and statements needing to be collected.
She noted, as did the judge during the trial, that Lester had been living a life of luxury off the back of the scheme, spending large periods of time in Las Vegas playing on gambling sites and visiting casinos. He also used his lavish lifestyle as a way of bragging and luring in new victims.
Despite his best efforts to conceal his crimes, the investigation eventually revealed money trails leading back to Lester. The police were able to trace multiple bank accounts, all of which were being used to funnel his victims’ cash.
