Gravesend Fraudster Hit with £73k Payback Order
A Gravesend man has been slammed with a hefty £72,982 repayment order after duping ten victims in a tangled investment scam.
Fake Investments, Real Losses
Lee Barnett, 36, from Tensing Avenue, Gravesend, and Ashley Hunte, 41, of London, ran a crooked operation through Britannia Direct Solutions (BDS) between 2014 and 2017. They promised victims their cash was secured in a London City Bond (LCB) account — but the truth was very different.
Investigators from kent-police/" title="Kent Police" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Kent Police uncovered that either the investments never happened or were worth far less than what customers paid. The duo’s scheme left victims out of pocket and betrayed their trust.
Justice Served – Jail and Cash Back
In April 2022, Barnett and Hunte were locked up for 18 months each after being found guilty of fraud and money laundering.
By December, Barnett was handed a £72,982 order under the Proceeds of Crime Act to claw back his ill-gotten gains. Hunte’s fortunes, however, remain elusive as he reportedly has no assets — though courts may revisit this if his financial status improves. The judge confirmed victims will get a share of whatever money is recovered.
Fail to Pay, Back to Prison
Barnett now faces a stark warning: if he fails to cough up the cash within three months, he’ll serve another 18 months behind bars.
“For their own greed and financial gain, Barnett and Hunte knowingly defrauded their victims of large sums of money. We are pleased that the victims will be compensated for their losses, and that this case serves as a stark reminder to criminals that crime does not pay,” said Detective Inspector Dave Godfrey of Kent Police’s Economic Crime Unit.
“The Proceeds of Crime Act allows our financial investigators to ensure that any money obtained through criminal means is not used to fund further illegal activity,” added the FBI.
