Ribble Valley man jailed for part in €22 million fraud

2:50pm Sunday 29th January 2012 in Longridge Photograph of the Author By Sam Chadderton, Reporter

A RIBBLE Valley man who was part of a €22 million forgery fraud on a Swiss bank has been jailed for 18 months.

Mark Terence Pattinson, 38, of Sharley Fold, Longridge, and his co-conspirators Michael Andrew Shephard, 50, of Wellington Road, Lancaster, and Kevin James Christopher Steele, 51, of Forge Drive, Claygate, Esher, Surrey, defrauded the EFG Private Bank of Zurich with a loan application based on false claims in 2008.

They pretended to have £76million sat in two Guernsey bank accounts to use as a security deposit on the loan application.

Together they produced fake letters purporting to be from Bank Julius Baer & Co which tricked the Swiss bank into paying out the huge loan.

The trio claimed the cash would fund the development of a luxury Turkish resort where England striker Wayne Rooney and Brazilian ace Ronaldinho had bought villas.

Former Claims Direct owner Shepherd claimed he was a 'phenomenally successful businessman' but it was all a charade.

With the help of associate Pattinson, and ex-QPR director Steele's false paperwork, Shepherd ‘pretended that he was a phenomenally successful business man enjoying huge personal wealth’.

In passing the sentences, HHJ Wood QC said of Steele, who was a partner at London law firm Mishcon de Reyahas and had previous convictions for dishonesty: “This was a very serious escalation in your criminal activity where you corrupted other people.”

He also said of Shephard: “You derived some pathetic satisfaction from parading yourself as a man of wealth.”

The judge said of Steele, that he was: “Lured into it by the dominating nature of Shephard.”

The Serious Fraud Office investigation started in November 2008.

Charges were brought against all three in June 2009. Shephard and Pattinson pleaded guilty to conspiring to use false instruments and to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. Steele was convicted of the same offences as well as fraud on December 5, 2011.

Comments (10)

5:44pm Sun 29 Jan 12

brok says...

Eighteen months for stealing £22,000,000 is a joke.
Although the so-called great train robbers used violence and driver Jack Mills died of his injuries some time after the event, the comparison of £2.6 million pounds in 1963, bringing a thirty year sentences and £22million in 2012 producing a sentence that means these people will be free in less than a year and able to have access to the money they will obviously have salted away.
The train robbers 2.6 million 1n 1963, using retail price index would be the equivalent of roughly £28,000,000. White collar crime pays handsomely. Amazing.
Eighteen months for stealing £22,000,000 is a joke. Although the so-called great train robbers used violence and driver Jack Mills died of his injuries some time after the event, the comparison of £2.6 million pounds in 1963, bringing a thirty year sentences and £22million in 2012 producing a sentence that means these people will be free in less than a year and able to have access to the money they will obviously have salted away. The train robbers 2.6 million 1n 1963, using retail price index would be the equivalent of roughly £28,000,000. White collar crime pays handsomely. Amazing. brok

6:01pm Sun 29 Jan 12

Manuel Hung says...

Fraud has to be the crime to go for if you are that way out?
.
Look at the ex magistrate that was convicted of mortgage fraud for about £200k last week. She got let off with a warning.
.
Not only that, look at all the people convicted of benefit fraud. Nothing ever happens to them does it?
.
But this takes the cake. 18mts or more like 9mts in reality for £22 MILLION.
.
Only us mugs work for a living these days!
Fraud has to be the crime to go for if you are that way out? . Look at the ex magistrate that was convicted of mortgage fraud for about £200k last week. She got let off with a warning. . Not only that, look at all the people convicted of benefit fraud. Nothing ever happens to them does it? . But this takes the cake. 18mts or more like 9mts in reality for £22 MILLION. . Only us mugs work for a living these days! Manuel Hung

8:06pm Sun 29 Jan 12

nice person says...

Ok, who do i rip off first......... You could certainly make a handsome living out of this with these sentences.
Ok, who do i rip off first......... You could certainly make a handsome living out of this with these sentences. nice person

8:21pm Sun 29 Jan 12

Dickiepayshey says...

It looks like some think it worth taking the risk when this is the kind of sentence being handed down if you're caught out.
It looks like some think it worth taking the risk when this is the kind of sentence being handed down if you're caught out. Dickiepayshey

8:47pm Sun 29 Jan 12

retired one says...

It seems that crime "does pay".
It seems that crime "does pay". retired one

8:58am Mon 30 Jan 12

Dave Harwood says...

I understand he gave evidence against the main man hence reduced sentence
I understand he gave evidence against the main man hence reduced sentence Dave Harwood

4:13pm Mon 30 Jan 12

MerlinTheVoiceofReason2 says...

brok wrote:
Eighteen months for stealing £22,000,000 is a joke.
Although the so-called great train robbers used violence and driver Jack Mills died of his injuries some time after the event, the comparison of £2.6 million pounds in 1963, bringing a thirty year sentences and £22million in 2012 producing a sentence that means these people will be free in less than a year and able to have access to the money they will obviously have salted away.
The train robbers 2.6 million 1n 1963, using retail price index would be the equivalent of roughly £28,000,000. White collar crime pays handsomely. Amazing.
They won't have access to the funds on release. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Government, through the Courts, has the power to confiscate the money and any other ill-gotten gains.
[quote][p][bold]brok[/bold] wrote: Eighteen months for stealing £22,000,000 is a joke. Although the so-called great train robbers used violence and driver Jack Mills died of his injuries some time after the event, the comparison of £2.6 million pounds in 1963, bringing a thirty year sentences and £22million in 2012 producing a sentence that means these people will be free in less than a year and able to have access to the money they will obviously have salted away. The train robbers 2.6 million 1n 1963, using retail price index would be the equivalent of roughly £28,000,000. White collar crime pays handsomely. Amazing.[/p][/quote]They won't have access to the funds on release. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Government, through the Courts, has the power to confiscate the money and any other ill-gotten gains. MerlinTheVoiceofReason2

4:17pm Mon 30 Jan 12

MerlinTheVoiceofReason2 says...

By the way, the fraud was 22 million Euros (c. £18.5 million). Secondly, Kevin James Christopher Steele, of Kent, was sentenced to five years and six months’ imprisonment.

Michael Andrew Shephard, of Lancaster, was given six years and three months’ imprisonment. He was also disqualified from acting as a company director for 15 years.

Mark Terence Pattinson, Preston, was sentenced on 6 January 2012 to 18 months’ imprisonment. He pleaded guilty in November 2010 and entered into an agreement to give evidence at the trial of Steele, hence a reduced sentence.
By the way, the fraud was 22 million Euros (c. £18.5 million). Secondly, Kevin James Christopher Steele, of Kent, was sentenced to five years and six months’ imprisonment. Michael Andrew Shephard, of Lancaster, was given six years and three months’ imprisonment. He was also disqualified from acting as a company director for 15 years. Mark Terence Pattinson, Preston, was sentenced on 6 January 2012 to 18 months’ imprisonment. He pleaded guilty in November 2010 and entered into an agreement to give evidence at the trial of Steele, hence a reduced sentence. MerlinTheVoiceofReason2

4:37pm Mon 30 Jan 12

britguy says...

Had the bank taken the trouble to view Sharley Fold on Google maps they may have wondered why someone why so many Euros lived in such a place.
Had the bank taken the trouble to view Sharley Fold on Google maps they may have wondered why someone why so many Euros lived in such a place. britguy

12:40pm Wed 15 Feb 12

Olley Owl Owd Betts Barn says...

These could one day be our prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer in the near future. Brains like this remind me of MP expenses scandal. Weren’t these just doing the same (Fiddling the books?)
These could one day be our prime minister and Chancellor of the Exchequer in the near future. Brains like this remind me of MP expenses scandal. Weren’t these just doing the same (Fiddling the books?) Olley Owl Owd Betts Barn

Comments are closed on this article.

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