8 h. ago ‘He left us with nothing’: the British investors swindled by a German property firm

Investors in the Dolphin/GPG ponzi scheme run by Charles Smethurst are angry that more is not being done to recover the €1bn owed to them “He took everything, left us with absolutely nothing,” says David Middleton, one of thousands of British and Irish investors who racked up huge losses from the collapse of a German property ponzi scheme.The 72-year-old pensioner from Northern Ireland is referring to Charles Smethurst, the German-British businessman who set up Dolphin Capital in 2008, later renamed Dolphin Trust, then German Property Group (GPG), with 200 affiliated companies. In July 2020, the business filed for insolvency, owing more than €1bn to up to 25,000 investors around the world. Continue reading...

Economics

25 h. ago Colorado funeral home owner sentenced to 20 years for cheating customers and government

Jon Hallford will also face sentencing in August for state case after pleading guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuseA Colorado funeral home owner who stashed nearly 190 dead bodies in a decrepit building and sent grieving families fake ashes was sentenced to 20 years in prison in federal court on Friday for cheating customers and defrauding the federal government out of nearly $900,000 in Covid-19 aid.Jon Hallford, the owner of Return to Nature funeral home, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud last year and had faced a maximum of 20 years in prison. Federal prosecutors are seeking a 15-year sentence and Hallford’s attorney asked for 10 years. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago One in four dog owners admit looking after elderly pet is tougher than they thought

A survey of 2,000 dog owners found those with a pooch aged seven and over have made changes to their homes to cater for their pet's changing needs - such as putting in ramps

Politics

5 d. ago One in four dog owners struggle with caring for aging pets, study reveals

A study of 2,000 dog owners found those with a dog over the age of seven have looked to adjust their homes to accommodate their dog's growing needs.

Politics

1 week ago Four people given suspended sentences for Vinícius Júnior hate crime

Effigy of Real Madrid forward was hung from a bridgeAll four signed a letter of apology to the BrazilianFour people have been handed suspended jail sentences by a Madrid court after being found guilty of a hate crime related to an effigy of the Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior.They were involved in hanging a banner reading “Madrid hates Real” and an inflatable black effigy in a replica of the Brazilian’s No 20 shirt on a bridge before a Copa del Rey match between Real Madrid and Atlético in January 2023. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Super recogniser PCSO dubbed 'Memory Cop' breaks his own record after catching 3,000 suspects

Eagle-eyed West Midlands Police PCSO Andy Pope, 47, has been hailed for his face recognition skills - and has now passed yet another milestone.

Politics

2 w. ago Air India owner pledges to pay around £86,000 to the families of each victim

Ahmedabad police commissioner says there appear to be no survivors from flight AI171

Economics

2 w. ago Air India owners offering £86k to families of passengers killed in Ahmedabad plane crash

Tata Sons, which owns Air India, will offer around £86,000 to the families of each person who died in the Ahmedabad plane crash, the company said on Wednesday in a statement

Events

2 w. ago Campaigners urge MPs to vote down assisted dying bill over anorexia ‘loophole’

Exclusive: More than 250 people who have suffered with eating disorders penned a letter to MPs warning: ‘If this bill had been law during the years many of us were struggling, we would have used it to end our lives’

Politics

2 w. ago Couple claimed Universal Credit despite owning second home worth £170,000

A judge told the couple that 'stealing from the state is not an insignificant matter'

Economics

2 w. ago Influencer reveals how he tried to steal back his own £220,000 supercar after it was stolen and shipped from London to Thailand

Mark McCann, 51, purchased his green Lamborghini Huracan Spider in 2016 as part of a business venture which saw him and his business partner, Mo, rent out the supercar for £800 per day.

Economics

2 w. ago Man reveals how he tried to steal back his own £220,000 supercar after it was stolen and shipped from London to Thailand

Mark McCann, 51, purchased his green Lamborghini Huracan Spider in 2016 as part of a business venture which saw him and his business partner, Mo, rent out the supercar for £800 per day.

Economics

2 w. ago Brits more interested in home makeovers than making them energy

A study of 2,000 property owners found more than half are prioritising cosmetic makeovers because they believe it adds more value and offers instant gratification.

Politics

2 w. ago HMRC sends letters out to people with £3,500 or more in their savings account

HMRC is currently sending out letters to everyone who has a savings account and has earned more than £500 in interest over the last financial year

Economics

2 w. ago HMRC could send demand letters for people with £3,500 or more in savings account

His Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) could send you an unexpected tax bill letter if you have as little as £3,500 in your savings account after entire previous financial year is complete

Economics

2 w. ago ‘I owed £300,000 in debts that weren't mine after my identity was stolen age 6’

A quarter of children will have their identities stolen before the turn 18, according to new research

Economics

3 w. ago Mother, 54, who 'looted' £50,000 from her own daughters' trust that had been left to them in their grandmother's will must pay back every penny

Katherine Hill, 54, and her father Gerald Hill, 94, from south Wales, acted out of 'greed and spite' in taking the sum left for her daughters Gemma and Jessica Thomas.

Economics

3 w. ago Benefits cheat mother, 50, who lied about her MS to claim more than £20,000 was caught out by her own Facebook posts of running events

Sara Morris, 50, was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2005, and in 2020 claimed the severity of her progressive disease had left her unable to stand at the cooker.

Economics

3 w. ago Thousands owed up to £1,000 as eight energy companies told to pay out

A total of £74million is being paid out after a major investigation related to how homes were being charged for their energy

Economics

4 w. ago Letters sent out as people could be owed over £7,000 after error

HMRC is writing to around 370,000 people to inform them of a mistake that could be affecting their state pension, with thousands of individuals owed a significant sum

Economics