Conwoman wanted for fraud goes on the run

Smethwick crook Leah Farley, who 'twisted men around her little finger', failed to appear at Birmingham Crown Court for sentencing. It is thought there may have been as many as 400 victims.

Police believe the she may have skipped the country. A warrant has been issued for the 29-year-old's arrest.

Detectives uncovered Farley, formerly of Bodenham Road, Smethwick, as the ringleader of multiple scams involving rental properties and sales of electronic goods, mainly phones, online.

She was arrested in September 2015 and eventually pleaded guilty to her crimes in January this year after a lengthy investigation, which led to the arrests of co-defendants Martie Verdie and Emran Meah.

Farley, who was on benefits, recruited the pair to help her set up fake sales profiles on property rental websites, where she advertised properties for rent. She also manipulated friends, family and even a man with learning difficulties into having money paid into their bank accounts – telling them it was helping her receive benefits for her children.

All three were charged in November 2016 with conspiring to commit fraud by false representation between October 2013 and October 2015.

Defending Verdie, Mr Graham Henson said: "Miss Farley seems to be a lady who has the ability to twist men around her little finger. Yes, the money was put into my client's account but that money was given back to her. It was for her direct benefit."

Mr Meyrick Williams, defending Meah, said he was involved only in the tail end of the conspiracy. "He is not a middle man but very much at the bottom and only for a very short period of time."

Verdie, aged 26, from Summerfield Crescent, Smethwick, was jailed for 52 weeks after pleading guilty in January. Meah, 22, formerly of Pershore Road, Birmingham, was fined £3,000 and ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work following a five-day trial in September.

Investigating officer DC Richard Potts said the offences began after the theft of a passport in a burglary at a property in a Birmingham apartment in 2012. The passport was used as identification to customers and tenants on the websites Farley used to advertise goods and properties.

She would ask for payment for non-existent goods such as mobile phones, claiming her goods were cheap because her husband was a British Transport Police officer who acquired them through police auctions.

"Needless to say, once payment was made, the goods never arrived," said DC Potts. "Similarly deposits were requested for rental properties and once paid, communication ceased.

"On occasions the victims had given up their existing property and were in a position to move into their new home, which was never available to rent, leaving them homeless."

He said the owner of the stolen passport had also suffered distress after several angry customers turned up at her address demanding the goods they had bought.

Sentencing Verdie and Meah, Judge Nicholls said: "Each of you came under the spell of Leah Farley, a sophisticated fraudster who has been involved in fraud for some time.

"She exploited the desperation of people in renting properties and exploited their trust and naivety."

DC Potts added: "Farley spent years orchestrating and improving her scams. The money went on nights out, clothes and holidays abroad which, without victims playing into her hands, she could not have obtained through receiving the benefits she was on alone.

"I would encourage anyone wishing to rent properties or similarly making purchases online not to pay into unknown bank accounts without having verified who they are speaking to and are genuinely confident that the product they are purchasing is available."

He urged anyone who thinks they have been a victim of online fraud to contact Action Fraud here.

Police are also appealing for help in tracing Leah Farley. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.