Suffolk: Woman Jailed for £9.3m Fraud
17 October 2012, 17:17 | Updated: 17 October 2012, 17:23
A woman from Bures in Suffolk has been sentenced to six years in jail for coming a £9.3million fraud.
Following a three-year investigation carried out by Suffolk Police’s Economic Crime Unit, Kankamol Albon, 41 years old from Bures in Suffolk was charged with fraud by false misrepresentation, fraudulent trading and theft.
An initial investigation started after Kankamol Albon alleged she had been blackmailed into selling hundreds of prestige cars from her family run business based in Bures at well below the market value.
As enquiries continued it became apparent that this was nothing more than a smokescreen for criminal acts carried out by herself and running a fraudulent investment operation.
In August 2011, following a lengthy and complex investigation Albon was charged with fraud by false misrepresentation, fraudulent trading and theft.
After the charges in, November 2011, a large VAT fraud was also uncovered and this information in turn was passed to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for further investigation.
HM Revenue & Customs investigators found that Albon ran a prestige car dealership that sold luxury motor vehicles. The business, N A Carriage Company was based in Bures in Suffolk. Albon claimed that some of the vehicles sold including Ferrari, Porsche and Mercedes were to overseas clients. She then reclaimed the VAT paid on the vehicles, when in fact these vehicles were never purchased and there was no evidence of any exports. In total she fraudulently claimed £1.8million VAT.
In April 2012, Albon pleaded guilty to fraud by false misrepresentation, fraudulent trading and theft and on 10 October 2012 pleaded guilty to VAT fraud.
Today, Wednesday 17 October at Ipswich Crown Court, Kankamol Albon was sentenced to 6 years.
Following sentencing DC Adrian Finbow from Suffolk Police’s Economic Crime Unit who led the investigation said: “Today’s sentencing comes at the end of a complex and lengthy investigation.
"The investigation which uncovered the loss of vast sums of money through the sale of expensive cars such as Bentleys and Ferraris was continually frustrated by the defendant’s lies and deliberate attempts to change the direction of the investigation by pointing the finger of blame at others. However, we are satisfied that she acted alone and her sole motivation for the fraud being one of excessive greed, and the desire to buy expensive luxury goods and live an opulent lifestyle.
“We hope today’s sentencing will bring some sort of closure to the victims, some of whom have lost their homes and businesses, not to mention the inevitable affect on personal and home lives.”
Bob Gaiger spokesperson from HM Revenue & Customs said: “Kankamol Albon had a lifestyle that few people could aspire to. She owned a moated house, took expensive foreign holidays and sent her children to private schools. This lifestyle was partly paid for using the proceeds from her crime. Her luxury car dealership was a cover for a large scale VAT fraud. This sort of criminal activity is just not acceptable in this day and age and the sentence given today reflects the scale and seriousness of her actions.”
Proceedings will be initiated under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) 2002 to identify and confiscate any assets gained through Kankamol Albon’s criminal activity.