Richard Rufus: Ex-Premier League star jailed over £15m fraud

A erstwhile Premier League defender has been jailed for defrauding friends, household and associates retired of £15m successful a pyramid scheme.

Ex-Charlton Athletic subordinate Richard Rufus was recovered blameworthy of fraud, wealth laundering and carrying retired a regulated enactment without authorisation.

Prosecutors said helium had claimed helium was a overseas speech trader, convincing victims to put successful a low-risk scheme.

Rufus, 47, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years astatine Southwark Crown Court.

He was forced into status successful 2004 pursuing a genu injury.

Following the hearing, Roger Makanjuola, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), described Rufus's actions arsenic "selfish", adding the footballer utilized his presumption arsenic a nonrecreational jock and a respected religion subordinate to scam his victims.

"While making these immense losses helium enactment astir £2m into his idiosyncratic accounts, allegedly for the purposes of concern but this was ne'er transferred implicit to his trading account.

"We present commence confiscation proceedings to question to retrieve his ill-gotten gains".

In a statement, City of London detectives said Rufus, of Purley, utilized his presumption arsenic a sportsman to springiness the content helium was affluent and successful, erstwhile successful world helium was failing to marque a nett from his trading activities.

Rufus claimed helium was an experienced overseas speech broker but was successful information utilizing his victims' wealth to reimburse those who had paid successful arsenic portion of a pyramid scheme, the connection said.

Investigators added helium told 1 unfortunate helium lone traded 5% of the superior investment, which meant 95% would person been retained safely - reducing the hazard of incurring ample losses.

Of the £15m paid to accounts controlled by Rufus, investors received backmost a full of astir £7.6m.

Police said his strategy ran from May 2007 to the extremity of 2010.

In the process, constabulary said relationships and loyalties betwixt friends had been shattered, with galore suffering immense fiscal and intelligence wellness difficulties.

Analysis of his finances showed Rufus spent immoderate £300,000 connected his ain manner - including payments for travel, car finance, restaurants and shopping, constabulary said.

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