A gang of fraudsters used aliases from TV shows Suits, The Riot Club and Hart to Hart to steal £1m from victims in a cold-calling Ponzi scheme.
The gang acted as ‘brokers’ on behalf of a company named Choice Option, later called Blue Crest Capital Options, where they would cold-call members of the public to pressure them to invest in a managed account scheme.
The scheme was run by Sujanthan Sotheeswaran, 35, Darren Peck, 43, and Denis Deegan, 49, who claimed they were creating a profit for the company and their investors when in fact they were just pocketing the money themselves.
Members of the gang used aliases including Jonathan Hart from the 70’s crime show Hart to Hart, Miles Richards, Alister Ryle and Harry Villiers from the 2014 film The Riot Club as well as the name Harvey Specter from the US law drama Suits.
Sotheeswaran, Peck and Deegan were all were found guilty of one count of fraud by false representation and were sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on January 19.
Sujanthan Sotheeswaran, 35, was part of a gang of fraudsters who used aliases from TV shows Suits, The Riot Club and Hart to Hart to steal £1m from victims
Members of the gang used aliases including the name Harvey Specter (pictured) from the US law drama Suits
The name Jonathan Hart (left) from the 70’s crime show Hart to Hart was also used to fool victims as part of the Ponzi scheme
Sujanthan Sotheeswaran, 35, of The Forum, Molesey was sentenced to three years imprisonment for his involvement.
Darren Peck, 43, of Leighton Road, London, was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment, suspended for two years. He must also complete 25 days rehabilitation activity and 100 hours unpaid work to be undertaken within 12 months
Denis Deegan, 49, of David Wildman Lane, London, was sentenced to two years eight months imprisonment.
The investment involved depositing funds with the company, which would trade the funds on the binary options market, purportedly creating a profit for both the investor and the company.
Investors were told they would receive a fixed monthly return, or dividend, as well as an overall profit after 12 months.
The reality however was that the trading platform used by Choice Option was not connected to a banking system, meaning that investors’ funds were simply at the disposal of the defendants.
It was widely accepted during the trial that the investment proposition from traders was in fact a Ponzi scheme.
By October 2016, clients were unable to access their online accounts, could not establish contact with company staff and could not withdraw their funds.
The City of London Police was first alerted in February 2016, after receiving reports from investors claiming that they suspected the trading company was not legitimate.
Miles Richards (pictured), who is played by actor Max Irons in the 2014 film The Riot Club was also used as aliases by the fraudsters
Alister Ryle (far left) was played by actor Douglas booth in the 2014 film while Harry Villiers (left) was played by Sam Claflin
The brokers at Choice Option were all voluntarily interviewed under caution, with Deegan and Sotheeswaran giving ‘no comment’ to all questions put to them.
Peck gave a full account in interview, claiming that he believed it was a genuine investment as he could see trades being executed on the platform used by brokers at the firm.
Financial Investigator Hayley Wade, from the Civil Recovery Team at the City of London Police, said: ‘No investment is ever fool proof and if an investment opportunity seems too good to be true, with the returns being guaranteed, we would encourage everyone to do their research.
‘Take a moment to think before you hand over money, especially if you are being pressured by brokers.
‘At the heart of all investment fraud are bullish tactics and an insatiable greed by so-called brokers acting on behalf of the company.
‘These people are ruthless in their pursuit of money, with no regard for the consequences for the investors they target.
‘Before you make an investment, seek the advice of an independent financial advisor and never risk what you can’t afford to lose, even if the investment sounds credible.
‘Sotheeswaran, Peck and Deegan used elaborate and detailed marketing materials, often copied from respected trading firms, to deceive countless victims.
‘Their custodial sentences should serve as a reminder that no matter how convincing your pitch may be and however clever you think you are, if its fraudulent then we will find out.’
