CCTV footage has been released showing an 83-year-old woman being defrauded by individuals posing as workmen, in a scam that ultimately targeted several vulnerable victims and netted at least £880,000. Nottinghamshire Police stated that Charlie Lee and James Cunningham visited the woman's home in Aspley, Nottingham, claiming to have carried out roof repairs. The footage captures the pair instructing the elderly woman to write a cheque, part of a scheme where she was 'deceived and repeatedly pressured' out of more than £30,000 between June and October 2022.
The exchange, which was the last in a series of payments made by the woman to the men, was recorded by a covert camera installed by police in her hallway. In a victim impact statement given to the police before her death, the woman described feeling 'bullied' and having 'no choice' but to comply with their demands. She stated they 'intimidated me and would not take no for an answer,' leaving her feeling compelled to give them what they wanted.
Police detailed that the crimes consistently followed a similar pattern: victims were initially informed they required roof work, then subsequently charged 'extortionate amounts for unnecessary or substandard work.' Beyond the 83-year-old woman, another victim, a 67-year-old man from Nottingham, lost £376,284 of his life savings after repeated visits from the fraudsters between August 2021 and March 2022. He also expressed feeling he 'had no choice' but to make the payments demanded.
James Cunningham, 41, of Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and six money laundering offences, receiving a sentence of five years and 10 months. Charlie Lee, 57, formerly of Coventry, was jailed for three years and 10 months after admitting to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. His son, Ben Lee, 28, who also played a significant role, was sentenced to four years and 11 months for similar offences. Others involved in laundering the proceeds, including Stephen O'Rourke, Michelle Fox, and Cole Lee, also received sentences, with O'Rourke using over £143,000 of defrauded money to purchase seven Rolex watches.
These sentences were handed down at Nottingham Crown Court this Monday, marking a significant step in addressing the 'high-pressure tactics and intimidation' used against the victims. Nottinghamshire Police confirmed they would be pursuing confiscation orders through the Proceeds of Crime Act, with a hearing scheduled for later this year, aiming to recover some of the stolen funds from the perpetrators.