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Fraudster who stole £8m from banks blamed his 400-year-old alter-ego
Paul Cheston, Courts Correspondent17 Nov 2009
A fraudster who impersonated bank staff to steal more than £8million and blamed his 17th century "alter-ego" has been jailed for nine years.
Frageand Naseem, 32, claimed he was acting under the influence of a 400-year-old man called Schofield, Croydon crown court heard.
The father-of-four used a variety of accents to hoodwink staff at high street banks into allowing him to transfer money from prestigious companies. Posing as employees of the Royal Bank of Scotland and HSBC he contacted the firms to get them to reveal confidential banking information, the court was told.
The fraudster then duped banks into diverting large sums of money into his personal accounts in Dubai.
He was jailed after a judge rejected his insanity claims.
Naseem, of Edinburgh, admitted four charges of obtaining money transfers by deception and one charge of attempting to obtain a money transfer by deception.
Reader views (16)
All this talk about inappropriate sentencing would go out the window the instant the thefts involved the complainers. Personally, I'd rather have the clever crims on the inside where they can be kept out of harm's way. Those with meatballs for brains will always be the lesser threat in the long run.
- Rogan, Irving, 18/11/2009 03:32
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Wasn't this guy an MP at one stage, if not he has everything required to be a very sucessful one?
- Gavin, Sydney Australia, 18/11/2009 03:22
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Let us all note for the records:
1. Judiciary imposing a trivialized of punishment disproportionate to the £8m siphoned
2. The prolonged trivia of the MP’s expenses making the whole system untrustworthy.
3. The evasive and unproductive Police Force avoiding policing in many crucial areas.
4. The chaos of Parking fines, wheel clamping cow bows and exorbitant charges by hospitals.
5. The financial crisis and the un-resolving issues of the unemployed
Returning to the subject of the £8m fraud I would say that it definitely sets a very bad example. The sentencing has to be reviewed with penal tasks of the types of chain-gangs to be restored.
- John Jug, London UK, 17/11/2009 17:14
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First of all, a 400 yr old man should have been able to live on for less money. Remember what a pound was worth 400 years ago! Also why go to school when all you get is a few years and have an income of 8M pounds to enjoy such a lavish lifestyle?
- Danny, Victoria, BC, 17/11/2009 15:36
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Well he would have been better off if he had said god made me do it,he might then have got a seat in the house of lords,or better still beautified!!!
- Kev, London-UK, 17/11/2009 14:25
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Capitalism with its greed,corruption. What else do you expect. The amount stolen is worth the prison sentence because how many could earn that amount in nine years.
- Thomas Hayes, Leeds UK, 17/11/2009 13:02
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None of the money has so far been recovered. If he doesn't give it up he will serve an extra 10 years at the end of this 9-year stretch.
- Kate, London, 17/11/2009 12:24
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My 300-year old alter ego says: "To the Gibbet!"
- Judge Jeffries, Hammersmith, 17/11/2009 11:50
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Anon Pc London. Great point! -But when will it be addressed by this or any other Government? -As usual money and property are more highly valued than human life in our sick capitalist society. -No wonder the bankers took the opportunity to exercise their unbridled greed when encouraged by the system! -And this guy is hardly any worse than the bankers who gambled with money that wasn't theirs!
- Huggy, Cumbernauld Scotland, 17/11/2009 11:50
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Brilliant , have a soft spot for such a crim......he ll prob write a book now get a film deal, and be out with good behaviour in 3 yrs .....
- Paul Mcgowan, london uk, 17/11/2009 11:11
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If he had plead guilty he would have got 4-5 years and probably served half if he behaved good. Looks like his alter ego defence didnt work
- Ed, london, 17/11/2009 11:03
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This would make a great film
- Simon, London, 17/11/2009 10:53
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A £million a year eh? And probably out in about eigtheen months after a comfortable stay in an open prison. So its probably £4million a year. Not bad. I think I'll do that. It sounds well worth it.
- Rhoda, Brixton, UK, 17/11/2009 10:48
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well done Sir. A valiant effort, and absolutely no less worthy than the millions being spunked in pointless wars we can´t win, in countries which have never been subjugated.
I wish I had the nerve.
- Roderick Mackintosh, berlin germany, 17/11/2009 10:04
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"A fraudster who impersonated bank staff to steal more than £8million and blamed his 17th century "alter-ego" has been jailed for nine years"
Whilst this fraudster clearly deserved to be locked up, it is sickening that for committing a "white collar" crime he gets nine years in prison whilst dangerous and violent burglars,car thieves and knife-wielding robbers always receive ridiculously lenient sentences such as a 3-month community rehabilitation order or a 1-month community referral order.
It is outrageous that non-violent criminals are sentenced to long terms of imprisonment whilst the dangerous and repeat offenders are just given a slap on the wrist.
Utterly ridiculous and a kick in the teeth for every victim of burglary,robbery and unprovoked violence.
SHAME ON YOU NU-LABOUR - THERE IS NO JUSTICE ANYMORE
- Anon Pc, London, UK, 17/11/2009 10:02
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So all it takes is a different accent to trick money out of high streets banks???
Nothing wrong with the banking systems in this country then. Instils nothing but confidence.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 17/11/2009 09:53
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