Conman splurged on £3m mansion, BANKSY artwork & £11k holiday after swindling pensioner out of thousands
A CONMAN spent £3m on a mansion, Banksy artwork and expensive holidays after swindling a pensioner out of thousands of pound.
Abdul Ibraheem flew first class, lived in a £3m mansion and even bought an £800 bonsai tree with money he swindled from an 84-year-old.
The 36-year-old dad was jailed for more than five years after a court heard he was a practised and cynical fraudster.
He convinced a former accountant to sign over his bank cards and give him £200,000 in cash.
When a judge asked Ibraheem if he had ever had a job, the conman said he had been a semi-professional footballer and coach on the books of Chelsea FC before becoming a career fraudster.
He also claimed to have played for a string of other clubs including Gillingham.
Ibraheem convinced letting agents in Potters Bar, Herts he was a £500,000-a-year City hedge fund manager and signed a tenancy agreement on an £8000-a-month, £3m house.
He filled the mansion with expensive art, including a limited Banksy print, and had a room for his collection of trainers and joined an exclusive private members club in Knightsbridge.
He took his family on holiday to Greece and flew first class on a trip to Ibiza – all paid for with Mr Potter’s money.
His living room had a £14,000 piano and a £3000 marble kitchen island was installed just before cops arrived with a warrant.
Ibraheem admitted nine charges with another two left on file at Lewes Crown Court in Brighton.
The court heard he targeted 84-year-old former accounting firm owner Alan Potter after he had already lost £1.8m in a boiler room scam in 2022.
Ibraheem convinced Mr Potter he could recover the money he had already lost if he paid him £50,000.
Father-of-two Ibraheem eventually swindled more than £340,000 out of Mr Potter.
His Honour Judge Jeremy Gold KC said Ibraheem had gained the Potters trust, then fleeced them.
“The conclusion I draw is that you are an experienced and persuasive fraudster.”
Nicholas Mather for the Crown said Ibraheem exploited vulnerabilities and used his advantage to extract money from people in a practised and professional manner.
“Knowing Mr Potter had previously been the victim of fraud, the defendant used the money extracted from Mr Potter to fund his own lavish lifestyle.
“He benefited substantially from his fraudulent conduct.
“He was spending it on furniture, a family holiday to Greece, a first class trip to Ibiza, expensive whiskey, trips to Athens and Harrods and the £825 bonsai tree.
“He was not taking money to give to others.
“He was benefiting and living a luxury lifestyle due to his fraudulent activity,” Mr Mather said.
Mr Potter described Ibraheem as well spoken and sounding like he had a university education.
In a victim impact statement, Mr Potter said: “I found him persuasive and believable in everything he said.
“When the full realisation of his activities and his the lifestyle he was living on my money fully came home to me, I was embarrassed.”
Mr Potter said he lacked confidence in his own decision making after being duped by Ibraheem.
“Is my judgement of any value?
“I have lost a huge amount of money and am now on the verge of possible bankruptcy.
“This money would have paid for me in my old age.
“I may have to sell my home,” Mr Potter said.
Ibraheem was jailed for a total of 61 months. He will serve half in custody when he will be released on licence.
Officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit appealed for anybody who may have been a victim of Ibraheem to come forward.