Gillingham resident Kevin Pook has now been jailed for his part in the deception after money intended to be paid to a legitimate company was instead directed to a business set up in his name.

The offences were committed in October 2020, several weeks after the victims had received a fraudulent email which they believed had been sent by the same organisation they were considering investing in.

It was one year after transferring the money that they realised they had been tricked, as the telephone numbers they had previously been provided with no longer worked. They had wanted to reinvest the funds elsewhere but were instead left empty-handed.

A Kent Police investigation established that their money had been transferred to a business called NEG Services Ltd, based in Ocean Drive, Gillingham. The sole director was Kevin Pook and he lived at the same address.

It quickly became clear that NEG Services was a shell company set up for the purposes of crime, although Pook could initially not be traced as he was believed to have moved to Portugal.

However he returned to the UK on 10 January 2024 and was arrested at Stansted Airport. Pook was charged with money laundering the following day and later pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court.

On Monday 19 August he was sentenced to one year and eight months’ imprisonment.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Mark Newman said: ‘Kevin Pook claimed he knew nothing about the offences being committed and that he had opened an account on behalf of others who controlled everything that went in and out. Even if that were true, he still played a significant role in an innocent couple losing vast quantities of money and we were able to prove that he benefited personally.

‘Fortunately, the victims in this case were refunded by their bank but they were still deeply affected by this crime and the initial concern that they had lost everything. Pook is partly responsible for that and is fully deserving of the custodial sentence he has now received.

‘This case sends an important message that even people who carry out their research and are very careful with their money can still become victims of crime. Before investing, always be absolutely certain that the contact details you are using are correct and that your money is going where you intend it to go.’