Gang that conned Lanarkshire pensioner out of millions jailed for more than 11 years

Three "highly educated" members of a crime gang who helped con a Scots millionaire in a £2m gold bullion scam have been jailed for a total of 11 and a half years.

An 86 year-old woman was targeted amid claims her "money was at threat".

The Lanarkshire-based widow had been contacted from an individual allegedly called Garry Reid stating he worked for the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

He said he was carrying out a probe on banks and similar institutions in her local area.

Reid told her to "cash in" her investments and eventually got the woman to use her money to buy the gold bars.

This was then delivered to her home before being collected by crew members posing as "couriers".

At one stage, the unwitting OAP even thanked Reid "for all you have done for me".

But, instead, the bullion was initially ferried to London before being shifted elsewhere. It has never been traced by the authorities.

The victim was left badly affected both mentally and financially by how she was duped.

Guilty plea

Arrests were made during the large-scale Operation Tailpiece police probe into the fraud.

Sunil Theyath - one of the leading figures of the gang - along with associates Umar Mohammed and Hafeeza Samreen were sentenced today after earlier admitting to their guilt.

Lord Harrower jailed Theyath, 40, for five years and three months, Mohammed, 40, three years and nine months with Samreen, 35, locked up for two and a half years.

The judge said: "I am not aware of any offence of courier fraud in which financial harm of anything like this scale has been caused to an individual.

"The loss of such an astonishingly large amount of money will be difficult for anyone, but given the age and vulnerability of the woman, the offence has been devastating.

"It has affected her ability to meet daily living costs and impacted her making plans for herself and make provisions for her family.

"She now feels constantly worried and ashamed. She has only been able to recover a small fraction of the money.

"Any compensation she may receive does not diminish the financial harm caused."

A string of lies

Prosecutor John Keenan KC: "He told her that her money was not safe.

"He persuaded her to cash in her investment portfolio and move the funds to her other bank accounts.

"He then instructed her to purchase bars of gold bullion, which she did to the value of £1,918,411. These were delivered to her home."

This occurred on five separate occasions in July 2023.

Sentencing

Theyath pleaded guilty to a charge of directing others to commit an offence connected with serious organised crime.

Mohammed and Samreen each admitted to being involved in serious organised crime.

Theyath was also a hit with a so-called 'super-Asbo" - designed to tackle and monitor criminals when they are freed. This will last for five years.

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