Bogus Detective Fraudsters Heaped More Misery on Gambling Scam Victims

On Tuesday, a gang of British men who pretended to be private investigators in order to con individuals who were already the targets of financial schemes involving horse racing and sports betting were all sentenced to prison.

The group targeted vulnerable individuals who had "already lost thousands of pounds," according to Judge Francis Laird of Teesside Crown Court in northeastern England, who described their actions as a deliberate exploitation of hope.

The group, according to the prosecution, called and texted prior scam victims, posing as detectives who could recover their lost funds if they were paid in advance.  Then they made a hard pitch to them.

A total of £110,180 was paid by the three victims.  Among them was a woman who had already lost £20,000 to con artists.  Court documents show she gave £82,500 to the fraudulent team.

The Fraud Gang

For unrelated fraudulent trading, 36-year-old Christopher Call received a sentence of four years and three months, with an additional two years and three months.  According to court documents, 43-year-old Charles Palmer was sentenced to four and a half years for conspiracy to defraud.

Palmer escaped town before his trial and had to be extradited back to the UK from Spain.  In the end, he acknowledged conspiring to defraud.

Kevin Ratcliffe, an associate, received a 20-month prison sentence.  In order to make the two appear to be prosperous businessmen, he lent them a Bentley.  Ratcliffe was convicted of narcotics offenses in January 2024 and is currently serving 14 years.

Joseph Holden, a 35-year-old associate, consented to the payment into his bank account.  It was two years and three months for Holden.

According to court documents, the group's method of operation started with contact with the victims that was disguised as official assistance, followed by pressure for upfront "fees" or "commission," and then repeated requests for money after the victim became involved.

Unravels of Scams

When a fourth victim, who had previously been duped out of £183,000 in a horse racing investment scam, got suspicious of increasing demands, the plan started to fall apart.  She told the cops about her worries.

Call had prior convictions for fraud in his criminal past.  In court, his history as a "rogue builder" was also discussed.  The additional two years and three months he was given were for fraudulent trading connected to his roofing company, YRB, which stands for "Your Roofing Buddy," according to BBC reporting.

Call acknowledged conspiring to deceive and engaging in fraudulent trading through that business, which was charged with providing shoddy, exorbitant work at the homes of senior citizens.