Transgender fraudster, 74, who pocketed £130,000 by duping more than 100 people into buying fake shares is jailedMARK DUELL, October 10, 2013, 06:08 EST
A transgender conman who pocketed £130,000 by tricking more than 100 people into buying shares in a fake company has been jailed for five years.
Frances Harris, 74, of Brighton, East Sussex, who was previously known as Frederick, persuaded investors to plough their savings into an investment opportunity backed by multi-millionaires.
She used the names of rich businessmen to lure in people, who were then sold shares in a bogus company called The Golden Age Project - which she claimed was based in Spain, but did not exist.
By the time investors realised they had been deceived, the company had closed down. Harris was the leader in the con, supported by Nye and Lewis who helped launder the money through accounts.
Lewis, Nye and Harris set up Rest Assured Property Services in 2010 and sold timeshare apartments by phone. Victims paid a fee they were told was needed before a sale could be completed.
