Published on: September 17, 2025, 07:56h.
Updated on: September 17, 2025, 07:56h.
- Criminal ring exploited victims of previous sports betting scams.
- Judge criticized their manipulation of desperate individuals.
- Four individuals sentenced for defrauding £110,180 through deceitful tactics.
A group of British individuals masquerading as private investigators were sentenced to prison on Tuesday after deceiving those already victimized by horse racing and sports betting investment frauds.
Judge Francis Laird from Teesside Crown Court emphasized that the gang specifically targeted individuals who had already suffered financial losses, labeling their actions as a deliberate manipulation of hope.
The prosecution revealed that the criminals reached out to previous fraud victims via text and phone, portraying themselves as investigators capable of recovering lost funds in exchange for upfront payments. They employed aggressive sales tactics.
Three victims were deceived into paying a total of £110,180. One woman, already defrauded of £20,000 by other scammers, gave £82,500 to this fraudulent group, as documented in court records.
Fraudulent Operations
Christopher Call, aged 36, received a sentence of four years and three months, along with an additional two years and three months for unrelated fraudulent trading activities. Charles Palmer, aged 43, was sentenced to four and a half years for his role in the conspiracy.
Palmer was extradited from Spain after evading his trial and ultimately confessed to the conspiracy charges.
A co-conspirator, Kevin Ratcliffe, received a 20-month prison sentence for providing a Bentley to the group to enhance their appearances as affluent businessmen. Ratcliffe is already serving 14 years for drug-related crimes.
Another accomplice, Joseph Holden, 35, allowed the proceeds from the scam to be deposited into his bank account and was sentenced to two years and three months.
The group’s strategy involved first contacting victims under the guise of offering legitimate assistance, followed by pressuring them into paying advance “fees” or “commissions,” and then persistently requesting additional funds once the victim engaged with them, according to court documentation.
Scheme Unravels
The fraudulent operation began to fall apart when a fourth target, previously defrauded of £183,000 in a horse-racing investment scam, grew suspicious of the mounting demands. She reported her grievances to law enforcement.
Call’s criminal background included previous fraud convictions, with his history as a “rogue builder” also being highlighted in court. According to reports from the BBC, the additional time he received was for fraudulent activities associated with his roofing company, YRB — short for “Your Roofing Buddy.”
Call admitted to conspiracy to defraud and engaging in fraudulent trading through this company, which faced accusations of providing subpar, overpriced services to elderly individuals.