Conman Who Sold Couple's Home Has To Repay £300k

A fraudster who conned a dementia-stricken couple out of their home and life savings has been ordered to pay back more than £300,000 – including the £10,000 he spent on hair transplants.

- Jan Disley

Syed Bukhari, 38, posed as “Gerry Patel” from the pair’s local Lloyds bank to persuade them to hand over details he used to sell their £200,000 property.

By the time police unravelled the scam, the home in Fulwood, Lancs, had been sold to a private company for £160,000 – and their £150,000 nest egg had vanished.

As well as the hair transplants, Bukhari, from south Manchester, bought a business-class flight to Dubai, splurged £11,000 on a luxury hotel stay and rented several Lamborghinis. He also bought Rolex watches, jewellery, designer clothes, bags and mobile phones.

Scams

In 2018 he was jailed for almost eight years after admitting fraud.