The latest cancer scam goes to an already accused fraud victim and father (Neil Jackson) when he used his son as bait, pleading to others that his son was either seriously ill or that he had died and cashing in on these false claims.
In the most recent event, he defrauded £13,000 ($16,765.28) out of potential tenants when he posed as a landlord.
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He took large deposits from nine people ranging from £1,000 to £2,700 ($1,289.64 to $3,481.12). Then he would repeatedly cancel move-in dates telling people about his son’s fight with cancer.
His actions left one couple homeless and another forced to live in a caravan. Another had to borrow money from her friends and sell her possessions.
It was the second time he used his son to commit fraud – in 2012 he was jailed for conning colleagues at Tesco out of more than £60,000 ($77,358.32) saying he had cancer and his son had cerebral palsy. He spent the money on holidays in Las Vegas and Hawaii.
He is now serving a two-year prison sentence for his latest con.
Prosecutor Andrew Kendall said: ‘He told his victims to secure the property he’d need a £1,400 deposit.
‘He gave them a date when they could move in and asked for their details to register them.
‘But he would then come up with excuse after excuse why they couldn’t move in and pushed back the move-in date.
‘He said he couldn’t drop off the keys to Cardiff because his son had fallen ill in Plymouth.
‘He’d say things like he blamed nurses for not stitching his son back properly and even told one victim his son had died.’
Mr Kendall said Jackson was eventually rumbled when some victims researched his name online and found news reports relating to previous convictions for fraud.
Jackson, of Penylan, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud and taking a total of £12,840 ($16,554.68) from his victims.
David Pinnell, defending, said Jackson was ‘genuinely remorseful’ and used the money to pay off debts to inmates who protected him in prison.
Mr Pinnell said: ‘He says he did not benefit from these offences and the money he received was passed on.’
But the judge, Recorder of Cardiff Eleri Rees told Jackson: ‘You have to understand given your track record for elaborate lies the court finds it hard to take what you’re saying at face value.
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Original article published on metro.co.uk.
