http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jo ... nd-4850735Joe Lewis: British trader behind get-rich-quick scheme disappears with £130 MILLION of clients' cash
So maybe in Udon pretty soon...A businessman who persuaded investors to join a get-rich-quick scheme has disappeared along with £130 million of their cash, it was revealed today.
Joe Lewis, 59, vanished after admitting to clients in an email that his company JL Trading had not done any business in five years and all their money had gone.
Wealthy investors, rumoured to include professional golfers and footballers, joined his scheme after being promised big returns.
But after briefly visiting relatives in Hull, East Yorkshire, he has now disappeared from his offices in Turkey.
Police have begun an investigation and a civil action has been launched against him to freeze his accounts and seize any remaining assets he may have.
it is thought Lewis has headed to the Far East.
Since 2009 it appears (from his own words) that he has been taking investors money fraudulently.
On 3rd, december he gave all his clients a very merry Christmas with a confessional e-mail..
He was offering monthly returns of up to 3% on a minimum £16K investment.Dear investor, I am writing to inform you that JL Trading is ceasing to carry on business.
“Contrary to the impression I have hitherto given, the business has lost almost all of its assets and there appears no prospect of those assets being recouped.
“JL Trading ceased foreign exchange trading in 2009 following substantial losses and since that time the business has suffered further losses which I have tried to make good through investments in a number of commercial projects.
“However, it is now clear that the business will not be able to recover its losses and must cease trading.”
He added: “I can only apologise unreservedly for any losses or unfulfilled expectations of profit.
“I have tried to recover the position for a considerable period of time but it is now clear that I will be unable to do so. I sincerely regret that I have not been able to do better on your behalf.”
Another case of 'if it looks too good then it probably is'.