transfer money to the gang's front company, Almena Properties in Gibraltar

Fraudsters who used the lure of the London Olympics to con pensioners into handing over their life savings were facing jail today.

The gang cold-called elderly people at home offering what they claimed was a lucrative property portfolio in Stratford, near the 2012 site.

Fraud squad officers who smashed the racket believe the gang got away with at least £300,000 between 2006 and 2007. Detectives traced up to 90 victims who each lost between £2,500 and £30,000.

Adrian Davison, 42, of south-east London, masterminded the scam, recruiting four accomplices - Andrew Bingham, 72, of East Sussex; Patrick Golding, 29, of Ashford, Kent; Kenneth Mullen, 42, of Lanarkshire, and Derrick Voysey, 63, of Buckinghamshire.

Victims were telephoned from a 'boiler room' office in Barcelona, and urged to invest in bogus property schemes. Once hooked, they were sent glossy brochures and told to transfer money to the gang's front company, Almena Properties in Gibraltar, or to an address owned by Bingham in London."

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Gibraltar Asset Management Group siphoned off more than $7.6 million

Hillcrest Children's Center says its investment advisers squandered and stole nearly $8 million from it, crippling its work helping impoverished children and mothers in the District of Columbia. The nonprofit Center - founded by Congress for orphans of the War of 1812 - sued Gibraltar Asset Management Group, its five top officers and their attorney. Hillcrest says Gibraltar 'siphoned off more than $7.6 million from the trading account for their own personal gain,' reducing the $8 million trading account to 'a stunning $200.'
The Children's Center seeks $8 million in compensatory damages and punitive damages for fraud, conspiracy, securities fraud, conversion, breach of fiduciary duty, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and other claims.
Hillcrest says Gibraltar and its CEO Garfield Taylor won its trust by completing a successful trial investment run, making every scheduled return payment on the Center's $1.2 million trial investment. 'As a result, in February 2009, Hillcrest chose to invest half of its endowment with Gibraltar,' according to the complaint.
But things didn't work out as planned.
'This is a straightforward case of theft and fraud committed by the defendants of more than $7 million from Hillcrest"

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HOST of celebrity health experts are descending on the south of Spain to share their expertise.

GMTV’s Love Doctor Louise Van Der Velde is hosting Living Well Marbella this February alongside Dr. Hilary Jones, the TV doctor on This Morning.

Running for two days, the exhibition will showcase a wide range of holistic therapies.

Miss Van Der Velde has long been a champion for holistic treatments and has run a string of doctors’ practices on the Costa Blanca, combining both traditional and holistic treatments.

She explained: “Doctors are a lot more open-minded now and willing to experiment with less conventional types of therapy.

“Our aim is to bridge the gap between the two so we can achieve the very best health results.”

As a trainer in various therapies, Van Der Velde will be sharing her own life experiences and explaining how her popular NLP Transformation Treatment can help with behaviour and attitude.

Snooker ace Willie Thorne, who overcame a gambling addiction, will also be sharing his powerful life story.

Attendees can receive free health checks from doctors and dentists and take part in 25 well being classes.

The Living Well exhibition will take place in Marbella’s luxury Puente Romano Hotel on February 5/6. Call 603544078 or visit www.livingwellmarbella.com for tickets

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