Essex Man Busted for £88k Gold Scam Targeting Pembrokeshire Pensioners
The Con
Arnaldo Katalay, 24, from Billericay, Essex, has been sentenced at Basildon Crown Court after conniving a trio of Pembrokeshire households out of tens of thousands of pounds. Katalay travelled to West Wales to collect cash and gold from victims he duped into believing they were helping police and banks expose corruption.
In reality, the scam forced victims to buy gold, which the crooks then pocketed. The first victim, a pensioner, received repeated calls from a man claiming to be DCI Paul Stewart of Paddington Police, warning her that a female suspect had tried to use her bank card to buy a washing machine.
Heartless Trickery Hits Vulnerable Pensioners
Police house-to-house checks soon uncovered two more victims — a couple who had also been pressured into buying gold. Although police stopped one gold delivery and arranged a refund, the damage was done.
Detective Chief Inspector Cameron Ritchie spoke out about the human cost:
“We’re pleased to have secured the evidence to convict Katalay and to have supported the victims who have come forward. We’re talking about people tricked into handing over life savings, so their confidence has taken a huge hit.”
“It is cruel and completely unfair but I hope they can get over this. Some or all of their money has been returned, but the damage to their confidence is immeasurable.”
Police Warn Public: Don’t Buy Gold or Hand Over Cash
Katalay’s crimes were part of a wave of over 80 calls reporting similar scams in Pembrokeshire during that period. DCI Ritchie warned:
“Police would never ask the public to purchase gold or valuables, nor hand over cash to couriers. If you have concerns, contact police on 101 or, in an emergency, 999.”
Sentence and Justice
Katalay pleaded guilty in January 2023. On 2nd March, he was sentenced to seven months in prison, suspended for two years, plus 150 hours of unpaid work. The conviction came after collaboration between CID, the economic crime unit, and other agencies, proving Katalay lined his pockets with £88,000 in just one month in Pembrokeshire.
