Richard Lester jailed for defrauding cruise customers in a Ponzi scheme, stealing over £400,000 for gambling lifestyle.
Lester owned Rare Cow steak restaurants in Billericay and other towns. He sold them in 2014 due to money issues. The judge said Lester caused trouble for customers and made them think it was their fault, calling this “gaslighting.”
Lester received a five-year prison sentence after being found guilty of fraud and hiding money in a trial last December. He cannot be a company director for nine years and lived in Luton, Bedfordshire. The judge spoke to him during sentencing.
The judge stated that Lester hurt people, causing upset, frustration, and financial loss while blaming them for these problems. Some victims booked cruises for special events, including birthdays or wedding gifts. The judge described Lester as a gambler.
Lester gambled in poker games, won lots of money, and lived large in Las Vegas. He ran Cruise Direct UK Ltd from 2009 to 2014, selling “cruise vouchers” and “cruise miles” for cheaper cruises. Some customers successfully booked cruises at first, and his company even won an award in 2012.
Later, people got fake confirmations as their cruises were never actually booked. Lester used new customer money to pay off old customers and fund his lifestyle. Some customers learned the truth at the port when cruise operators denied them boarding.
Customers got refunds after cancellations, but they had to buy more cruise miles due to inflation. When the company closed, miles became worthless. These miles were worth hundreds or thousands of pounds, and Lester’s agents also lost money. They earned commission on sales but could not get back their lost money. Lester stole over £400,000 from many people.
Police reported that there were 184 victims worldwide, including those in the UK and the US.