Man jailed for £1m wine investment fraud

The director of a fake wine company has been jailed for five years for his part in a £1 million scam.

Jonathon Braybrook, 26 from Wandsworth in London, was the director of Le Bordeaux Wines Limited, an online wine investment company that launched in October 2012.

The sham company accepted more than £1 million in investments in Bordeaux fine wines that did not exist in the space of a year, before being exposed by UK police.

Police began an investigation after a Staffordshire-based wine company came forward to contact officers over its dealings with the company. The investigation established that wines sold to investors did not exist, and that any investors who sold their wine through the company did not receive any money. Braybrook was arrested in February 2014 on suspicion of fraud by false representation and conspiracy to defraud.

Officers believe between 20 to 30 businesses or individuals may have been affected, with some as far away as Hong Kong.

On Tuesday Braybrook was jailed for five years at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court for his part in the scam, admitting to making false representations and carrying on a business with intent to defraud and concealing criminal property, as reported by the BBC. 

Detective Sergeant Dave Alcock, of Staffordshire Police, said: “Braybrook’s company was completely fabricated. He deliberately defrauded customers to the tune of over £1m, money which he used to fund a life of drugs and debauchery. Thankfully his activities were disrupted when a company he approached became suspicious and reported him to police.”