Mohammed Ahmed, 33, from Deansgate, Manchester, has pleaded guilty to a complex scam operated through a business directory website and fraudulent property deals. He has also previously been convicted of mortgage fraud.
He spent the proceeds of his crime on flash cars, an executive box and other extravagances.
Sentencing Ahmed, Judge Bayliss said: “Despite being a relatively young age you are an inveterate and incorrigible confidence trickster. A consummate and practiced liar, you abused trust in a shocking way.
“Many of the offences were carried out whilst on bail. Even after arrest did not you desist but escalated your activities. You gained trust, stripped life savings and milked a company of cash reserves”.
Ahmed was a part-owner of EBH Web Limited, the firm behind ‘Wedotrades’ website. Between 2008 and 2013 the website took fees ranging from £75 to thousands of pounds from property and building firms, in return for ‘guarantees’ of work. However, these proved to be virtually non-existent.
In addition, he funded the operation of his scam through money obtained through a series of bogus property deals, in which he either exaggerated the value of a property or used properties he never actually owned. In one case, he attempted to claim guarantor backing in order to obtain a £10.5m stake in the tallest building in Manchester.
The trickster spent the proceeds of his crime on an executive box at Manchester City and luxury cars including a Ferrari. He also splashed out on a London wedding which involved paying for Tower Bridge to open during a river boat reception.
Ahmed now faces six and a half years’ imprisonment for the directory scam and a further four and a half years for a previous conviction for mortgage fraud.
The scam came to light after investigation by the National Trading Standards eCrime Centre. Four other employees of the company pleaded guilty to offences under the Business Protection from Misleading Marketing Regulations. They were given conditional discharges and disqualified from acting as a company director for three years. Two of the employees also had to pay prosecution costs amounting to £27,000.
