Features
GMP exposes scam targeting retailers By Stefan Jarmolowicz AN organised crime group behind a £20m scam to defraud major retailers out of goods has been exposed by GMP. In February this year the gang were sentenced to more than 15 years in prison at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square following a threeyear investigation. In 2009 an investigation was launched to target a criminal network suspected of fraudulently hijacking the corporate identities of fast food giant McDonalds and Greggs the bakery. In total, 13 companies became a
Daniel Pomeroy
victim to the scam. By setting up bogus email addresses using the names of genuine employees of both firms, they were able to fraudulently obtain credit. They ordered goods and arranged for them to be delivered to addresses in Manchester and Cheshire, where the goods were collected but never paid for. One of the scammed firms was Celltec Limited which recorded losses of over £400,000 and went into liquidation. Daniel Pomeroy of Oldham (aka Daniel McDonagh) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud and James Chapman of Sycamore
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Brief Spring/Summer 2013 Edition
Avenue, Chadderton, pleaded guilty homes. . to two counts of conspiracy to "This gang went to meticulous defraud. lengths to research genuine Daniel's uncle, Kevin George employees of bluechip firms and Pomeroy of Stamford Drive, present a veneer of respectability. Failsworth, pleaded guilty to two “Using extremely plausible counts of conspiracy to defraud and scenarios, they fooled a number of one count of money laundering. companies who had no reason to Kevin's wife Julie Pomeroy also suspect the orders were anything of Stamford Drive, Failsworth, other than legitimate. pleaded guilty to money laundering. "Their legitimate means of Kevin Pomeroy was sentenced to income would not even come close a total of eight and a half years in to the tens of thousands they forked prison, James Chapman to three out on cars, plasma TVs, jewellery, years, Daniel Pomeroy to three and sports memorabilia, holidays, rented a half years which includes an 18 apartments in Spain and Jacuzzis in month sentence for a separate fraud the back garden they really were offence and Julie Pomeroy to 12 living a life of Riley.
James Chapman
Kevin Pomeroy
months, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake 150 hours unpaid work. Kevin and Julie used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle.Detective Chief Inspector Dave Pester, Senior Investigating Officer, said: "This organised crime group successfully obtained £3m worth of goods, and if they had succeeded with every fraud would have pocketed just shy of £20m worth. “That is a staggering amount and if you consider this sort of scam could be happening across the UK, the cost to the economy is eye watering. Not only that but it feeds the black market which puts genuine retailers out of business as these goods find their way into people’s
Julie Pomeroy
"But despite the sophistication of their scam this still boils down to theft and in the end, they were not clever enough to avoid capture, or prison. "This was an extremely complex inquiry that was solved due to the sheer tenacity, expertise and skill of our officers who had to unpick the various threads of this conspiracy to unravel it. “Huge credit should go to everyone involved with this investigation as without their painstaking work stretching over many months I have no doubt this gang would still be out there committing these sorts of fraud today.”