Richard Rufus, an Ex-Charlton Athletic defender has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment for defrauding his friends, family and associates up to the tune of £15m in a pyramid scheme.
Rufus was also found guilty of money laundering and carrying out a regulated activity without authorisation, after claiming to be a foreign exchange trader.
After a Southwark Crown Court had delivered the Judgement, Roger Makanjuola, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said Rufus was selfish in his actions as he used his status as a professional athlete to scam his victims.
“While making these huge losses he put approximately £2m into his personal accounts, allegedly for the purposes of investment but this was never transferred over to his trading account.
“We now commence confiscation proceedings to seek to recover his ill-gotten gains”. He noted