IN THE NEWS
JAIL FOR MAN WHO CONNED BEDFORDSHIRE CABBIES WITH FAKE BOOTS PHARMACY SOFTWARE SCAM
A fraudster who pretended to be a pharmacy manager to defraud taxi drivers, has been jailed. Gerardo Gaudiosi, 55, of no fixed abode, was jailed for one year and five months after pleading guilty to 37 offences of fraud by false representation between October 2019 and February 2022, for offences in Luton and Dunstable. According to BedfordshireLive, Gaudiosi would target taxi drivers, claiming to be the manager of Boots Pharmacy and requesting their help. He would ask the taxi driver to collect some urgent software, collect passen- gers from a hotel and then return to the pharmacy to deliver the software. The taxi drivers were convinced to pay upfront to Gaudiosi who claimed he would reimburse them, before being
given envelopes containing blank discs. They would then be told to take the discs to Boots, where they would discover the person is not employed by the company and they do not have software issues. He defrauded the cabbiess from the money they handed over, plus the fare price that wasn’t paid. Gaudiosi was arrested on April 7, having already been charged with 33 offences, and was charged with a further four. Officers discovered the phone number linked to the incidents was being used
by Gaudiosi, and he was also captured on CCTV meeting the drivers. He was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on 13 May 13, to 17 months’ imprisonment. Investigation Officer Jenita Tailor, from the force’s dedicated fraud team, said: “Gaudiosi preyed on hard working indi- viduals for his own personal gain. He was very convincing, and promised to reim- burse the drivers if they paid up front. “We would urge anyone to think twice before handing over money, as there are not many legitimate reasons for people to ask for cash. “We would also encourage people to ask for verification and if you are ever concerned make contact with the store for further clarification. “Please continue to report any suspi- cious activity or fraudulent activity.”
JUNE 2022
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