An Essex man found guilty of orchestrating a boiler room fraud is among the National Crime Agency’s wanted fraudsters.
Levi John Coyle, 36, of Colchester, is wanted by the City of London Police for fraud which he was found guilty of despite failing to appear at court.
Coyle claimed to be a broker while selling fake shares and defrauding investors out of £700,000 between 2009 and 2010.
He cold-called victims to offer stock market shares at discounted prices or for sought-after shares that were not at the time available to the general public to buy.
After paying money victims never received any share certificates and the proceeds were laundered by Coyle.
Coyle was sentenced in his absence at the Old Bailey in September 2013 to six years imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud, fraud by false representation and money laundering.
Joseph Ford, of the City of London Police fraud investigation team, said: “We are calling upon the public for their assistance in locating Coyle.
“Coyle must accept the consequences of his crimes, face the courts and begin his jail term handed to him in his absence.”
As well as Coyle the NCA’s list, drawn up with the help of City of London Police, features Sandeep Arora, 42, who is wanted in connection with the evasion of more than £4.5m VAT and film tax from HMRC and is believed to be in India.
Between 2007 and 2011, Arora is alleged to have set up a production company with offices in central London while he lived in Beckton and made the VAT and film tax claims for films called Billy the Beagle, London Dreams, Kuan Bola, Aagosh, Trapped and Kia the Dream Girl, but they either didn’t exist at all or he had no involvement with the productions.
Also wanted is Alex Mckenzie, 33, of London, who is wanted for a range of fraud offences including obtaining credit cards, bank accounts, and loans in his partner’s parent’s names, and two former partner’s names with losses totalling more than £300,000.
In order to perpetuate his frauds, and deceive former partners, police say McKenzie claimed to work for MI6 and provided forged documents, uniform, and identification of his various pseudonyms.
Donald Toon, director of the NCA’s economic crime command, said: “The annual losses to the UK from fraud are estimated to be more than £190bn.
“Behind this headline figure lie the actions of criminals like the wanted fraudsters highlighted in this appeal, who have caused distress and loss to people and businesses up and down the country.
“Law enforcement cannot tackle this problem alone. It is only by working together, individuals, law enforcement, Government and the private sector – using structures like the Joint Fraud Task Force – that we can protect the UK against fraud.”
damian.fantato@ft.com
