TOWIE's Lewis Bloor part of £3million diamond scam before launching TV career, court hears

The truth TV star has denied conspiracy to to defraud between Could 7 2013 and July 1 2014 at Southwark Crown Court docket

Lewis Bloor has denied conspiracy to to defraud

Former TOWIE star Lewis Bloor was a part of an alleged £3million diamond rip-off previous to his TV profession, a court docket has heard.

Over 200 victims – a lot of whom have been aged – have been allegedly conned into shopping for colored diamonds and inspired to half with a big chunk of their life financial savings or pension pots.

The potential traders have been chilly known as by salesmen utilizing false names and “instructed lies”, the jury heard.

Bloor, 31, who joined the solid of the ITV2 actuality present for 3 years from 2013, denies conspiracy to defraud between Could 7 2013 and July 1 2014 at Southwark Crown Court docket.

He’s on trial alongside Joseph Jordan, 29, from Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, George Walters, 29, from Beckenham, in Kent, Max Potter, 25, of Enfield, Middlesex, Nathan Wilson, 28, of Brentwood, Essex, and Simon Akbari, 27, from Loughton, Essex.

Lewis Bloor has been accused of being a part of a £3million diamond rip-off previous to his TV profession
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WENN.com)

Bloor has denied the costs
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PA)

The alleged fraud pertains to two firms, Imperial Belongings Options and Henderson & Forbes, which have been concerned in promoting colored diamonds.

“Every one in every of these six defendants was concerned in each, with one exception, Lewis Bloor, who left sooner or later in 2013 to pursue a profession in tv,” mentioned prosecutor David Durose QC.

“In whole, over 200 folks have been conned into shopping for colored diamonds and the businesses defrauded these folks out of a complete of effectively over £three million.”

He mentioned police took the statements of dozens of alleged victims, a lot of whom have been aged and had been inspired to half with a bit of their life financial savings or pension pots.

Bloor is on trial at Southwark Crown Court docket alongside 5 different defendants
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In Photos through Getty Photos)

“All of these concerned inform the same story.

“Each single one in every of them has misplaced their cash.”

Mr Durose mentioned there was a bonus to fraudulently buying and selling in colored diamonds as a result of the value of their white counterparts is extra simply obtainable.

Each of the corporations concerned presupposed to be specialist brokers for folks wanting to purchase or promote funding grade stones, with brochures boasting of an “excellent monitor file of assembly the wants of our shoppers.”

Potential traders have been chilly known as by salesman utilizing false names and offered the diamonds as an funding which might enhance in worth, the jury was instructed.

Bloor started his TV profession in 2013
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PA)

Bloor has denied the costs
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Andy Barnes / FameFlynet.uk.com)

“These representations that have been made to these clients have been false, they have been lies,” mentioned the prosecutor.

“Due to the value they have been offered at and the circumstances during which they have been offered, they might by no means have been a real funding alternative.”

He instructed jurors the stones have been purchased from a wholesaler and offered on with a mark-up of round 600%, with a £5,000 funding securing diamonds initially bought for round £750.

Most consumers by no means noticed their diamonds, which have been saved in a bonded warehouse in Geneva, with funds made by a legislation agency or accountancy firm to provide legitimacy, the court docket heard.

The re-sale value can be even decrease than £750, they usually have been “all however worthless” to the traders, who would have needed to pay 20% VAT on their funding earlier than they could possibly be offered.

“Invariably, that may be greater than the diamond was really value,” Mr Durose added.

The trial continues on Tuesday.