P4 news mar27 25/3/09 19:52 Page 4
news
27.03.2009
Pay or stay in jail,
fraudsters warned
Rupert Murray.
C
O
with a tag in early May, was given
A FRAUDSTER whose gang conned 10 months to pay £2.08 million or
millions from would-be holidaymak-
STO
VER
R
face six more years inside.
ers is believed to have raked in
Y
Kemp was said to have made
Forex tricksters
£31 million over four years. £294,000 and has six months to pay
Christakis Philippou, the ringleader of £213,000 or face two years in jail.
a gang jailed last year, is set to be ordered And Entwisle made £268,000 but has to
stun Steadman
to pay that money back or face more time repay only £100 within 56 days or face five days
behind bars. in prison. The amounts relate to how much the
Philippou and his co-accused – Evangelia CPS thought they could pay.
TRAVELTIME World boss Jackie Steadman (above) Liogka, Timothy Entwisle and Peter Kemp – were Kemp and Entwisle will both be released with
has lost hundreds of pounds to thieves who used all sent to prison last year after setting up bogus tags in the next week.
slight of hand and distraction techniques. agencies and selling holidays they had no Once a decision has been made on how much
The Advantage board director and her staff intention of supplying. Philippou will have to pay, the court will make a
were changing money for a customer in the At a confiscation hearing at Southwark Crown decision on who should be compensated.
Berkhamsted shop when the scam took place. Court, which started on Monday, Liogka, Total claims amount to close to £12 million.
Steadman said: “They tried to give us £700 Entwisle and Kemp all reached agreements with The 150 individual victims will be given priority
claiming it was £900, which we quickly realised, the Crown Prosecution Service on how much before bodies such as Abta and the CAA.
and were then on full alert. they would have to pay back.
“The couple then said they wanted dollars, But the total amount Philippou will have to
so we started counting out dollars, but they repay was still uncertain as TTG went to press. Forced to sell home: The Proceeds of Crime Act
grabbed them and waved them around saying He has claimed he made £5.5 million from 2002 was introduced to make it easier for the
they wanted Canadian dollars.” the fraud, which involved a number of bogus authorities to seize money and assets from con-
Steadman and her staff took the dollars and companies, but the CPS believes the figure could victed criminals. Before, it had to be proved the
gave back the pounds, but as the couple walked be as much as £31 million. asset or monies were directly related to a specific
out they realised the hundred-dollar bills had Failure to pay the figure the court agrees on crime. In the case of Liogka, the £2 million she
been taken leaving just the lower denominations. could result in up to 10 years in prison. must pay will come from the sale of her house.
Steadman said she was amazed by their skill. Liogka, who is due to be released from prison
“Three of us paid close attention but they
managed to take the cash – it was incredibly
slick,” she added.
Steadman alerted Abta, Advantage and her
Agent fined £2k
Mark Hydes, the CAA consumer protection
group’s enforcement manager, said: “It breached
agent contacts immediately so that others would
be on their guard for similar cons. for Atol breach
Atol regulations and put consumers at risk.
“This prosecution demonstrates that we will
Abta has also warned operators to be vigilant investigate firms we suspect of illegal trading
when taking late bookings over the phone, even A LONDON-based agent has been fined for and, where appropriate, bring a prosecution in
when a genuine Abta retail number is quoted. selling an air travel package without an Atol. the public interest.
Rogue ex-employees have been using their Manoj Boteju of Exotic First pleaded guilty at “This prosecution carries with it a criminal
knowledge of passwords to make false bookings. Brent Magistrates’ Court and was fined £500 and record for Boteju, which we believe is a
Operators are advised to confirm the booking ordered to pay £2,380 costs. deterrent for any person that may choose to
with the agent by calling the Abta listed number. The company held an Atol until March 2006, contravene the Atol regulations.”
but the CAA discovered, following a complaint,
■ Fraud worries? Call Abta on 0845 177 2282 that it had continued to sell air travel packages. ■ CAA ‘should put consumers first’, p28
04 27.03.2009
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