A former Premier League footballer was convicted yesterday of scamming friends and family out of £8million by falsely using star names including Rio Ferdinand to entice investors.
Richard Rufus, who played 288 times for Charlton Athletic, promised annual returns of up to 60 per cent with a business opportunity that was in reality a pyramid scheme.
The 47-year-old claimed to be a successful currency trader headhunted by Morgan Stanley, Coutts and Barclays.
However he was ‘losing money hand over fist’ and jurors found him guilty of three counts of fraud, of using criminal property and carrying out regulated activity without permission.