An unemployed truck driver will be checking in to prison for five years after perpetrating an “elaborate and outrageous scam” to sell London’s Ritz hotel for £250 million. The big sticking point? He didn’t own the hotel.
Anthony Lee, 49, of East Yorkshire, pretended he was a close business associate of the reclusive billionaire Barclay brothers who own the prestigious Piccadilly landmark. He then found victims interested in purchasing the hotel and conned them into handing over £1 million as a gesture of solid intent.
According to Breaking Travel News, jurors at Southwark Crown Court heard how Lee orchestrated the con which was based on “one great big lie”. Lee was found guilty of obtaining the money by deception. Lee convinced potential buyer Terence Collins that he was a “close friend and associate” of the Barclay brothers.
Sentencing him at Southwark Crown Court, Judge Stephen Robbins described the offence as an “elaborate and outrageous scam”. Apparently he didn’t state that Collins must be very gullible. .. I have a bridge in Brooklyn for him…
