Crimestoppers targets fraudsters

Crimestoppers is hunting four most wanted fraudsters suspected of operating scams from Spain against the UK public
3 March 2014

Four of the most wanted fraudsters suspected of operating scams from Spain against the UK public are being hunted by Crimestoppers.

Working alongside the National Crime Agency, City of London Police and Spanish National Police, Crimestoppers is targeting those believed to be involved with so-called boiler room fraud in the UK, Serbia and Spain.

Boiler room fraud happens when investors are duped into buying worthless or non-existent shares.

The crime-fighting charity said fraudsters involved in it are stealing the life savings of elderly people and using the money to live lavish lifestyles.

The four men profiled as part of Crimestoppers' campaign are wanted for their suspected role in high value fraud and money laundering offences and are believed to be involved in large scale, global networks of investment fraudsters.

Graham Hawrysh, 37, is suspected of helping to set up and manage a number of boiler rooms based in Spain. He is believed to be involved in a large scale, global network of investment fraudsters targeting UK consumers.

Jeffrey Gordon, 54, is believed to be involved in the set-up and management of various boiler rooms. He has links to Romania, and possibly Colombia or Ireland, and h is aliases are Jeffrey Darren Goodman and Michael Goodman, the charity said.

He is American, speaks with an American accent, is 5ft 11in and of stocky build, with blue eyes and he wears glasses.

He is normally clean shaven and has a tattoo on his left arm which is swirly and multi-coloured.

Robert Douglas Lynch, 53, is believed to be involved in the set-up and management of various boiler rooms through alias names. He is accused of being involved in the set-up of accounts in Spain and the UK in order to facilitate the laundering of funds from investment fraud from the UK to Spain.

He has links to Lowcarbon.com listed as based in the UK, the charity said.

Lynch is also said to have links to Romania and his aliases are David Collins, Bob Collins, David Phillips, David Martin and Martin Young.

He is described as having hazel eyes, is of s lim build, has s hort grey hair, is cl ean shaven, and has a 6ft surgical appendix scar.

Tunch Kashif, 48, is believed to have been engaged in various investment frauds over a period of several years. He is said to have recently been involved in Fine Wine Investment Fraud with CAMPUS INVESTMENTS which offered fraudulent shares to UK investors.

He is currently thought to be in Biarritz, France, but he is a Turkish Cypriot so could also be in Northern Cyprus, and has family links to the North London area, Crimestoppers said.

This hunt follows a series of dramatic raids in Barcelona, Madrid, Marbella and London last week - one of the biggest anti-fraud operations ever staged.

A total of 110 fraudsters were held as police moved to stamp out boiler room fraud.

These investment scams are run by individuals based overseas in set-ups known as boiler rooms that target innocent victims by luring them into investing in bogus companies.

This is currently being committed by British and foreign nationals based in Spain who target the most vulnerable of the UK public through cold-calling.

They particularly target elderly people, offering them worthless, overpriced or non-existent shares and pressuring them to use their savings to become investors.

They promise a good return on investment but ultimately they are stealing people's life savings to fund their extravagant lifestyles overseas.

Students and other young people from the UK are being recruited to work in boiler rooms within Spain by the lure of an appealing lifestyle - working abroad in a hot country and earning large amounts of money.

Lord Ashcroft, founder and chair of Crimestoppers, said: "Serious fraudsters often operate as part of gangs and fraud is just one of their business streams. This can result in the funding of drugs and people trafficking, which causes harm to many."

Roger Critchell, director of operations for Crimestoppers, said: "There is nothing glamorous about these fraudsters stealing the life savings of elderly people across the UK and living lavish lives from the proceeds of crime.

"If you know of anyone committing fraud, or know the whereabouts of those featured in this campaign, we urge you to call the crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or to visit our website www.crimestoppers-uk.org and fill in an online form.

"Callers from outside the UK can contact Crimestoppers on +800 555 111 and speak to someone in their own language. We guarantee that no one will know your identity. Help us take these criminals out of circulation."

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