0:00:02 > 0:00:03When the cell door slams shut on a criminal,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06you might think they've got their just deserts
0:00:06 > 0:00:08but the law doesn't stop there.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11Criminals are now having their most prized possessions
0:00:11 > 0:00:16hunted down, seized, and sold at auction to the highest bidder.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Welcome to Ill Gotten Gains.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47In this programme, one police team have the task of taking on
0:00:47 > 0:00:51the most cunning love rat they have ever had to deal with.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56He is essentially a lying, conniving thief.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58And it's not just the men stealing money.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02One very clever con woman took a fortune from would-be
0:01:02 > 0:01:04male escorts across the country.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07She spent their money on luxury shoes and bags.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09The guys that she's taking the money from is
0:01:09 > 0:01:12a form of cattle that she's just milking, I should think.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14And a criminal's cash has been turned into
0:01:14 > 0:01:17a boat lover's delight in the Midlands as money from
0:01:17 > 0:01:21the Proceeds of Crime Act is keeping this community project afloat.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24People are absolutely delighted that it hasn't come from
0:01:24 > 0:01:28taxpayers' money, but it has come, as we like to say,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30from drug dealers and other criminals.
0:01:34 > 0:01:38Across Britain every day, teams of specialist police officers
0:01:38 > 0:01:42are using a powerful law called the Proceeds of Crime Act
0:01:42 > 0:01:44to take cash and property from people
0:01:44 > 0:01:46who make money in illegal ways.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51They might be fraudsters, drug dealers or benefit cheats,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54but any cash they made through breaking the law
0:01:54 > 0:01:56will be taken away by police.
0:01:58 > 0:02:02They've seized over £150 million from crooks in a year.
0:02:02 > 0:02:06And it's not just cash that gets seized.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08This building may not look like Sotheby's,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11but millions of pounds worth of goods owned by crooks
0:02:11 > 0:02:14get sold off here every year.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18This is a location miles away from London where they hold
0:02:18 > 0:02:21barely advertised auctions called Proceeds of Crime sales.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24They're open to the public
0:02:24 > 0:02:27and any ill-gotten gains seized by the police
0:02:27 > 0:02:29will get sold to the highest bidder.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36Up and down the country, there are secret locations like this one
0:02:36 > 0:02:39where the police store assets seized from criminals using
0:02:39 > 0:02:42the powerful Proceeds of Crime law,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46designed to hit crooks where it hurts the most - in their pockets.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49And the police will take everything a criminal has bought
0:02:49 > 0:02:51with money made from crime.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56If you think of anything that you could buy or would want to buy,
0:02:56 > 0:02:58whether it be symbolic, whether it be status,
0:02:58 > 0:03:00something you require,
0:03:00 > 0:03:01so it can go from property,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04a lot of money is invested in property, there's cars,
0:03:04 > 0:03:08there's all the associated bling, jewellery, watches.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11But people have bought boats, they've bought artwork,
0:03:11 > 0:03:14there's cases in the past of racehorses, greyhounds.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Anything of a monetary value or status symbol.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23Most of us want to meet the love of our lives
0:03:23 > 0:03:26and then settle down happily together.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29But if the love of your life is money then some people will
0:03:29 > 0:03:31go to any lengths to get it.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38This is a story about how through sheer grit and guile,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41Detective Tim Powell, from West Mercia Police,
0:03:41 > 0:03:44was able to outsmart a cunning fraudster.
0:03:44 > 0:03:48Eventually, he was caught on tape, right in front of his eyes,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50committing the foul deed.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Could you give me your full name and date of birth, please?
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Matthew Park Samuels, 28/01/65.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59It's a case that also shows how powerful the law is,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02by being able to strip scammers of their assets and return
0:04:02 > 0:04:05to the victims what's rightfully theirs.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Do you recognise the voice?
0:04:08 > 0:04:10This is Matthew Samuels.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13He's what some people would call a love rat.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16Over a number of years, he conned various unsuspecting women
0:04:16 > 0:04:18out of their money whilst pretending
0:04:18 > 0:04:21to be an international millionaire businessman.
0:04:21 > 0:04:26The woman that he met were in their 40s, middle-class,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29experienced women, professional women,
0:04:29 > 0:04:31people with good backgrounds,
0:04:31 > 0:04:34people that were looking for someone to share
0:04:34 > 0:04:36the rest of their life with.
0:04:36 > 0:04:41In fact, Matthew Samuels was a second-hand car dealer from Worcester
0:04:41 > 0:04:44and detective Tim Powell is all too familiar with the traits
0:04:44 > 0:04:46of this type of crook.
0:04:46 > 0:04:52He is essentially a lying, conniving thief with a silver tongue,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56a man that wants to basically fleece you of your cash.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58No remorse,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01no feeling towards the trail of destruction that he's left behind.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05Having received multiple complaints that he
0:05:05 > 0:05:09conned lovers out of money, they decided to launch an investigation
0:05:09 > 0:05:12and soon discovered the deviousness of his crimes.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17He will get to know you, he will find out your name
0:05:17 > 0:05:18and your date of birth.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21He will suggest a surprise holiday,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23so therefore he needs your passport.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25Once he's got all these details,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27he will then run a credit check on you,
0:05:27 > 0:05:30he will find out what your financial worth is,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33how much time he needs to spend with you
0:05:33 > 0:05:36as to satisfy your need
0:05:36 > 0:05:40and to satisfy his reward,
0:05:40 > 0:05:42which is, ultimately, cash.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44He was pretending to invest their money,
0:05:44 > 0:05:46but what he was actually doing was spending their cash
0:05:46 > 0:05:49on these luxury cars, seen here in lock-up.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52And whenever these woman asked for their money back,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56the shameless fraudster always had an excuse up his sleeve.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58He would say his father had died,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00he would say someone had cancer,
0:06:00 > 0:06:04he had cancer, he was in a hospital, he was being treated.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06No lie was too low.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10Anything to get them off his back.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13Unconvinced by Samuels' far-fetched stories,
0:06:13 > 0:06:15Tim Powell wanted to dig deeper.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17So they brought him in for questioning.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21When we first arrested Matthew, he was very confident
0:06:21 > 0:06:25and he was used to giving a very surface story,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27so he was very comfortable.
0:06:27 > 0:06:32His body language was open, trying to present a confident,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35honest man that hadn't done anything wrong.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37But they didn't believe Samuels,
0:06:37 > 0:06:40so they raided his home and seized paperwork and computers.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43It was while sifting through hundreds of documents
0:06:43 > 0:06:47the team discovered correspondence of particular interest.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50One of the key elements in the investigation was
0:06:50 > 0:06:54a letter from a building society that basically said,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56"We've agreed to your £10,000 loan."
0:06:56 > 0:06:58It wasn't addressed to him,
0:06:58 > 0:07:01it was addressed to the woman that he was living with at the time.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04This woman said she knew nothing about the loan.
0:07:04 > 0:07:06At the bottom paragraph, it said something,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08"And I hope you're feeling better."
0:07:08 > 0:07:10This pleasant but particularly unusual sign-off
0:07:10 > 0:07:14by the building society was a crucial turning point in the case,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17and one that would inevitably lead to Samuels' downfall.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20So we made enquiries, and you'd expect
0:07:20 > 0:07:21a call centre not to remember calls
0:07:21 > 0:07:23cos they must get hundreds,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27but we managed to speak to somebody who said, "I do remember that call.
0:07:27 > 0:07:31"It was so unusual because the lady on the other end,
0:07:31 > 0:07:34"she had severe laryngitis, I could hardly understand her."
0:07:34 > 0:07:36The lady had had nothing wrong with her,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40she didn't know anything about this and couldn't understand it.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42Tim Powell was onto something. He knew it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45All he needed was a recording of the phone call
0:07:45 > 0:07:47to prove who the voice really was.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50But the forensics team had discovered something even better.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Unbelievably, they had found recordings on Samuels' computer
0:07:53 > 0:07:57of him practising and impersonating the lady's voice,
0:07:57 > 0:08:00but with a terrible bout of laryngitis.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04We were able to find that he had recorded, the day before,
0:08:04 > 0:08:07on his computer, two excerpts
0:08:07 > 0:08:10where he is practising her voice.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13I could clearly identify that that was Matthew's voice.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16There was a feeling of, "We've got you."
0:08:16 > 0:08:21What I needed to do was let him know that we had that recording.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25- RECORDING:- Today is Friday. It is 5th September.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Samuels was about to hear his own voice played back to him
0:08:28 > 0:08:30pretending to be the caller.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34The question is, what excuse would he use this time?
0:08:34 > 0:08:35He's never heard this before.
0:08:46 > 0:08:47Play it again, please.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Matthew is now boxed into a corner.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06He's heard those recordings,
0:09:06 > 0:09:08it clearly is Matthew,
0:09:08 > 0:09:10anyone that's spent any time with him
0:09:10 > 0:09:12would be able to say that's Matthew.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Were you practising to make sure that you got your voice right before
0:09:18 > 0:09:20you spoke to the bank?
0:09:20 > 0:09:22No comment.
0:09:22 > 0:09:23I put it to you that Susan had
0:09:23 > 0:09:26no idea that this £10,000 loan
0:09:26 > 0:09:28was being taken out and that's why
0:09:28 > 0:09:32you went to such lengths in order to get that £10,000 loan.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34What did you do with the money?
0:09:34 > 0:09:35No comment.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42Matthew, as you can see here, I suspect is desperately trying
0:09:42 > 0:09:47to think of some explanation that would exonerate him.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49But of course there isn't.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51So all he could say is, "No comment."
0:09:51 > 0:09:54Did you pretend to have laryngitis,
0:09:54 > 0:09:58pretending to be Susan, when you were talking to the bank?
0:09:59 > 0:10:01No comment.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Later at the trial, the judge accepted that Samuels had conned
0:10:04 > 0:10:08five women out of a combined total of £180,000
0:10:08 > 0:10:11and he was sentenced to eight years behind bars.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13But Tim Powell wanted to go further,
0:10:13 > 0:10:15and thanks to the Proceeds of Crime law
0:10:15 > 0:10:17they seized his assets,
0:10:17 > 0:10:20auctioned off his cars and £120,000
0:10:20 > 0:10:23was given back to the victims.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the Crown Prosecution Service,
0:10:27 > 0:10:31as well as the police, it is a duty to try and recompense
0:10:31 > 0:10:32victims of crime
0:10:32 > 0:10:35and that's why they go after these people.
0:10:35 > 0:10:39Although the emotional impact and heartache caused by Samuels
0:10:39 > 0:10:43might never be healed, cracking the case and putting Samuels behind bars
0:10:43 > 0:10:47is just the start of what the Proceeds of Crime law can do.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51So I knew most of these women right from the start
0:10:51 > 0:10:53and the journey that they had gone through,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56so they've lost out financially,
0:10:56 > 0:10:59they've lost out big time
0:10:59 > 0:11:02as far as their future is concerned,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05and now he's imprisoned.
0:11:05 > 0:11:11So, for me, personally, him getting that sentence was great,
0:11:11 > 0:11:13the woman getting their money back was better.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Fraud is one way of making a lot of money quickly.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Drug dealing is another. But either way,
0:11:30 > 0:11:33you'll be earning money that's going to attract police attention.
0:11:35 > 0:11:39Stripping big players on the crime scene of their valuable assets
0:11:39 > 0:11:42lies at the heart of the Proceeds of Crime Act
0:11:42 > 0:11:45and one man who found out the hard way
0:11:45 > 0:11:47was drug dealer Curtis Brooks.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50He was jailed for over ten years after being identified
0:11:50 > 0:11:53as a ring leader responsible for the widespread supply of
0:11:53 > 0:11:56high-grade cocaine in Bristol.
0:11:56 > 0:12:00Throughout his dealings, he pocketed over £300,000 and invested
0:12:00 > 0:12:03in a criminal favourite - a very fancy watch.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Well, successful drug dealers can come into a lot of money
0:12:06 > 0:12:10and things like watches are very, very portable assets.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13A watch is one of those symbolistic things of,
0:12:13 > 0:12:15"Look at me, look how much I'm worth," sort of thing
0:12:15 > 0:12:17or, "Look at my status," or whatever,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21which is often the motivation behind drug dealers or people of
0:12:21 > 0:12:24that criminal ilk and organised criminals.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27But as the 18-carat gold watch was bought with drug money,
0:12:27 > 0:12:30dealer Curtis Brooks was forced to give it up
0:12:30 > 0:12:32to repay his debt to society.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34And the watch is highly desirable.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37Originally produced for use at sea,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40it's the brand that has an enduring appeal.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42If they're maintained and looked after and have all their box
0:12:42 > 0:12:43and papers and certifications
0:12:43 > 0:12:46they can last a lifetime and be passed on generationally.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48So they'll do very well at these types of auctions.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50It's a very popular Rolex,
0:12:50 > 0:12:52particularly something with 18-carat gold.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Gold is gold, regardless of if it's on a Rolex or not,
0:12:54 > 0:12:56so it'll have a strong value no matter what,
0:12:56 > 0:12:58because of the gold content.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Add that to a Rolex Yacht-Master, you've got a very collectable item.
0:13:01 > 0:13:03But will anyone want it?
0:13:03 > 0:13:07The Rolex Yacht-Master. 18-carat gold.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Five to get me away.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11£5,000. 52. 54.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13£6,000 online.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Bidding at 62, I'm bid.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17At 66, 68.
0:13:17 > 0:13:1868, I'm bid.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20At £7,000. Bidding at 72.
0:13:20 > 0:13:2277.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Online bidding at 79.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26At £8,000.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Bidding at £8,000,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31and I sell online.
0:13:31 > 0:13:338,000 once,
0:13:33 > 0:13:358,000 twice.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Third and last. 8,000, sold...
0:13:37 > 0:13:39So it's £8,000 back to the public purse
0:13:39 > 0:13:42from the watch bought with drug money.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44It's a good result for everyone except the dealer,
0:13:44 > 0:13:46who lost his watch.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53High-value watches and cars are some of the most popular items
0:13:53 > 0:13:56police seize from convicted criminals
0:13:56 > 0:13:59but the police are now just as likely to raid a crook's wardrobe
0:13:59 > 0:14:02as they are to empty his or her bank account.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Up for auction today is this fabulous collection of shoes,
0:14:09 > 0:14:14all of them taken from one careful lady owner.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16She also has a fine collection of handbags,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19all of them from the most desirable labels on the market.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Whoever owned these was obviously very good at making money,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27to be able to afford such a collection.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31But why is it that these luxury shoes and bags have ended up
0:14:31 > 0:14:33at a proceeds of crime auction?
0:14:36 > 0:14:38This is Claire Miller.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41She ran a company that placed adverts in local papers
0:14:41 > 0:14:45asking for eligible men to join up to her agency
0:14:45 > 0:14:48and for a fee, she would get them paid work,
0:14:48 > 0:14:49but not just any old work -
0:14:49 > 0:14:53the men she was looking for were being hired to be male escorts.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57Through her company, she claimed that she would hire the men out
0:14:57 > 0:15:00as escorts for ladies who would pay up to £300 an hour
0:15:00 > 0:15:02for the pleasure of the men's company.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04Nice work, if you can get it.
0:15:04 > 0:15:09Unsurprisingly, men across the country signed up to join in.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11I believe there were many thousands of people,
0:15:11 > 0:15:14and I believe it's in the region of around about 17,000 people
0:15:14 > 0:15:16who joined up to the scam.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21David Gates at Merseyside Police was one of several officers
0:15:21 > 0:15:24who wound up dealing with Claire Miller and her company
0:15:24 > 0:15:26because people were calling the police
0:15:26 > 0:15:28to claim they had been scammed.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31The scam that these people were telling us about was
0:15:31 > 0:15:34this individual had targeted them via newspapers
0:15:34 > 0:15:39whereby they'd advertised vacancies for employment
0:15:39 > 0:15:42for drivers, chauffeurs,
0:15:42 > 0:15:46male escorts, TV extras
0:15:46 > 0:15:50and with the promise of large amounts of cash in reward.
0:15:50 > 0:15:54For wages, it would be two, three, £400 an hour
0:15:54 > 0:15:56that was the promise of these individuals.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59However there was a small catch, and the catch was they had to pay
0:15:59 > 0:16:02a registration fee of approximately £250
0:16:02 > 0:16:05and there were many, many thousands of individuals
0:16:05 > 0:16:07that paid this registration fee.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11Once that registration fee was paid, there was no further contact.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14And the men were all down a large chunk of money
0:16:14 > 0:16:16they simply couldn't afford to lose.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19I would say, generally, we were getting calls from people
0:16:19 > 0:16:22who were out of work, they were generally more vulnerable,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24they were committed to try and make a living,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26they were desperate people,
0:16:26 > 0:16:29in some cases, who wanted to earn money to support their families
0:16:29 > 0:16:33in times of economic hardship.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37And so they scrimped and scraped and borrowed money often in cases
0:16:37 > 0:16:40to pay this £250 registration fee.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Local newspaper adverts were drawing in
0:16:44 > 0:16:47a large number of men who desperately needed to find work,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51but the wannabe escorts didn't realise the ads were a scam.
0:16:51 > 0:16:54Just to give you an example of some of the adverts that were
0:16:54 > 0:16:57being placed in some of the newspapers.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00There's certainly one here. "All male services.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04"Requires men urgently for escorting. No experience required.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07"All ages, all types. High earnings possible."
0:17:07 > 0:17:11So whilst men across the country were getting themselves
0:17:11 > 0:17:14preened for well-paid dates with lonely ladies,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18the reality was not one of the 17,000 applicants
0:17:18 > 0:17:20was contacted back and offered work
0:17:20 > 0:17:23but most paid their £250 joining fee,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26so Claire Miller was probably too busy shopping with their money
0:17:26 > 0:17:28to call back.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32Police financial investigator David Gates could see it was a con.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35He seized Claire Miller's bank account details
0:17:35 > 0:17:37and took a look at what she was doing.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39You can see it's actually Claire Miller's bank account
0:17:39 > 0:17:43and you can see there are some high-value transactions.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45£6,500,
0:17:45 > 0:17:46£3,000,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49in excess of £7,000.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53What was the cash being spent on?
0:17:53 > 0:17:57When police raided Miller's Northampton home, they found out.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59I've got a list of the assets that were seized
0:17:59 > 0:18:04from her home address in Northampton,
0:18:04 > 0:18:06and it's quite an extensive list.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09I can go through some of them.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11You know, the first one, top of the list, there's a,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14"Louis Vuitton brown and tan ladies handbag,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16"Christian Dior pink ladies handbag,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19"Gucci brown leather ladies handbag,"
0:18:19 > 0:18:23multiple pairs of designer shoes, footwear.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Whilst Miller was busy spending the cash from her victims,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31only a fraction of those who were scammed
0:18:31 > 0:18:33even came forward to report the crime.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37You tend to get people who are too embarrassed to complain,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40and certainly the more vulnerable members of the community.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42Some people say, "Well, it's only £250 I've lost."
0:18:42 > 0:18:44There is that aspect to it.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47The other aspect is it's too embarrassing to report
0:18:47 > 0:18:50this matter to the police.
0:18:50 > 0:18:51But when love is for sale,
0:18:51 > 0:18:55there's always the chance that you'll lose your shirt.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56This is James.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00He's been a successful escort for nearly two years
0:19:00 > 0:19:02and has asked us to disguise him.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05He says male escorts are a frequent targets of scammers.
0:19:05 > 0:19:09The majority of contacts I get that make me think,
0:19:09 > 0:19:10"This is suspicious,"
0:19:10 > 0:19:14they're written with very poor grammar,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17they almost always mention Africa as a destination.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20"I'm going on a business trip to Africa for ten days
0:19:20 > 0:19:24"and I need a companion to give me hugs and massages."
0:19:24 > 0:19:26And they offer to pay you £2,000 a day
0:19:26 > 0:19:28and that sounds great.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30But when the person says that they're coming from,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32"United Kingdom,"
0:19:32 > 0:19:34not, "I live in the United Kingdom,"
0:19:34 > 0:19:35or, "I live in London,"
0:19:35 > 0:19:39or whatever, the way it's written is clearly not someone
0:19:39 > 0:19:42who has a good grasp of English and grammar.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44It's clearly poorly done,
0:19:44 > 0:19:47an amateurish attempt to try and swindle someone.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50Once I even responded to them saying, "You've got to be joking.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52"If you're going to try and rip people off,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54"at least do a better job than that."
0:19:54 > 0:19:56They responded, "Ha-ha-ha-ha."
0:19:56 > 0:19:59But it's no laughing matter for James. He needs the money.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02I am a parent, I've got a nine-year-old son,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05and I'm Daddy for most of the time.
0:20:05 > 0:20:10I do a normal job in the daytime and bump into normal people
0:20:10 > 0:20:11and have normal conversations,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14it just so happens that in the evenings and the weekends,
0:20:14 > 0:20:15I sometimes go and visit strangers
0:20:15 > 0:20:18and spend time with them and earn money doing that as well.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Just a little bit of a way to help get a little bit extra to
0:20:21 > 0:20:25make sure that I can provide for my son and look after him.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28But one very slick scammer was a bit more persistent
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and clearly had a lot of experience dealing with escorts.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35So I was first contacted at the start of September
0:20:35 > 0:20:39with a lady who said that she'd seen my profile and she liked
0:20:39 > 0:20:41the look of me and what I'd said about myself
0:20:41 > 0:20:44and that she had lots of enquiries with lots of clients,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46international businesswoman and so on,
0:20:46 > 0:20:49who were willing to pay a reasonable amount of money
0:20:49 > 0:20:51to spend time with me at dinner dates,
0:20:51 > 0:20:55three hours guaranteed, £780 or something.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57But there was a small hurdle.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59All I needed to do was to register with them
0:20:59 > 0:21:02and then I'd be able to arrange the date.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04They sent me the details over of the lady.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07She sounded nice, she was a Dutch businesswoman,
0:21:07 > 0:21:09and it sounded very interesting.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12So then she brought up the idea of this registration fee
0:21:12 > 0:21:15that I had to pay in order to get onto their books.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17It rang alarm bells because I'd been warned previously,
0:21:17 > 0:21:20"Beware if someone asks you for a registration fee
0:21:20 > 0:21:22"before they give you a date."
0:21:22 > 0:21:23But I thought,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26"Well, it's a lot of money to earn for one day,
0:21:26 > 0:21:28"just for a three-hour dinner date,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31"the possibility of something else afterwards.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34"And it would also be a good start with this firm, this agency."
0:21:34 > 0:21:37She phoned me the next day to say, "Great, we've got your money,
0:21:37 > 0:21:39the lady's coming over on the 4.30 flight,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41we'll pick you up at this time
0:21:41 > 0:21:44and then you'll go over to the restaurant,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47our car will wait for you and then it will bring you back again
0:21:47 > 0:21:48at the end of the evening.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51So I was convinced that that seemed pretty good.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53And James received some e-mails from the company
0:21:53 > 0:21:55that looked very enticing.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58The day of the date, I had an e-mail from her,
0:21:58 > 0:22:00another phone call saying everything's OK.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02I was just getting ready that evening, in the shower,
0:22:02 > 0:22:05and I got an e-mail through, not a phone call,
0:22:05 > 0:22:06an e-mail through saying,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09"She's had to delay, her father's ill."
0:22:09 > 0:22:12And as soon as that came through, I thought, "Oh, here we go."
0:22:12 > 0:22:14The date was cancelled at the last minute,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18but James didn't get his money back.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20I've left one or two voicemail messages,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24but then I figured I'm just making myself angry and feeling more silly.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27I've sent an e-mail or two and there's been no response,
0:22:27 > 0:22:30so I've now given up on it.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33James's 300 quid had disappeared too.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36When I finally resigned myself to the fact the money was lost,
0:22:36 > 0:22:38it was really frustrating.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41That's a considerable amount of money and it's...
0:22:41 > 0:22:43I just feel silly.
0:22:43 > 0:22:48I mean, I entered it kind of half-expecting to get ripped off,
0:22:48 > 0:22:50but hoping against hope that I wouldn't.
0:22:50 > 0:22:53I'd read advice on forums and things saying,
0:22:53 > 0:22:55"Beware of people asking you for money,"
0:22:55 > 0:22:57and I thought, "Yeah, but this one sounds so credible.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00"She's very efficient, she sounds really enthusiastic."
0:23:00 > 0:23:05But James knows exactly why escort cons are so attractive to scammers.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Because of the nature of the industry, it's the sort of thing
0:23:07 > 0:23:09that you don't want to make a big fuss about
0:23:09 > 0:23:11because of the nature of it.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14You've got to try and be discreet and keep things confidential,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16and if you make a fuss about it, you think,
0:23:16 > 0:23:19"Well, people are going to ask awkward questions or so on."
0:23:19 > 0:23:21And I guess that's what they're banking on.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24They're thinking that they're preying on a vulnerable or
0:23:24 > 0:23:28a group of people who don't want to go public and make a big fuss,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32so they're able to do these sort of scams and get away with it.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33If it seems too good to be true,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35it is too good to be true.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37It doesn't happen like that, unfortunately.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Unless you're, I don't know, in Beverly Hills or Las Vegas,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45£800 for a couple of hours chatting to an attractive woman
0:23:45 > 0:23:47doesn't come along very often,
0:23:47 > 0:23:49and if it does, it's probably dodgy.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51But from Gateshead to Dover,
0:23:51 > 0:23:54British men were scammed all too easily by Claire Miller.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57I can see that, yes, if a lot of guys saw,
0:23:57 > 0:23:59"Earn £750 for three hours,"
0:23:59 > 0:24:02they'd think, "Brilliant, I'll have a go at that."
0:24:02 > 0:24:05And they get all excited about it and they get all geared up
0:24:05 > 0:24:08and think it's going to be fantastic and then think,
0:24:08 > 0:24:11"Oh, OK, I've got to pay a registration fee. Fair enough.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14"And then the pounds will just roll in."
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It can be very easy to ignore the potential risks
0:24:17 > 0:24:20if you think there's a big payday in it for you.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29And back in Liverpool, the complaints were still flooding in.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32David Gates and his fellow officers arrested Claire Miller
0:24:32 > 0:24:34on suspicion of fraud.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38It turned out she was also wanted by police elsewhere in Europe.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41I believe she was motivated purely by greed.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45It was a national scam. There were people from all over the country
0:24:45 > 0:24:47paying these registration fees
0:24:47 > 0:24:51and there was large amounts of money and huge profits for her to be made.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57At her trial, the judge sentenced Claire Miller
0:24:57 > 0:25:00to three years and nine months in jail,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03and David and his team of financial investigators
0:25:03 > 0:25:08determined she had made roughly £1.9 million from her scam.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10With 17,000 suspected victims,
0:25:10 > 0:25:13it's not surprising she made so much money.
0:25:15 > 0:25:20And David Gates believes that's why she got such a lengthy sentence.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24For a fraudster of this nature, I do believe it was a fair sentence.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27In addition, it's worthy of note that Claire Miller
0:25:27 > 0:25:29is also subject to a financial reporting order
0:25:29 > 0:25:31for ten years, upon her release.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37So financial investigators will be keeping a close eye
0:25:37 > 0:25:40on any money Claire Miller is making.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42And male escort James thinks it's only fair
0:25:42 > 0:25:44she loses her shoes and bags.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Yeah, well, I guess if you've been found guilty of a crime,
0:25:47 > 0:25:51that's as a result of taking money from people under false pretences,
0:25:51 > 0:25:55it seems only fair to me that what you've bought with that money
0:25:55 > 0:25:57doesn't belong to you any more.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01It didn't belong to you in the first place, you didn't earn it,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03it's only fair that the money goes back...
0:26:03 > 0:26:05if not to the people it deserves, then to someone...
0:26:05 > 0:26:07I don't know, a charity or something like that.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10It certainly doesn't belong to the person who's committed the crime
0:26:10 > 0:26:11in the first place.
0:26:11 > 0:26:17Claire Miller is a young lady who craves what I believe to be
0:26:17 > 0:26:22that status in life and she doesn't really care how she gets
0:26:22 > 0:26:25to that status and if it means having vulnerable victims off,
0:26:25 > 0:26:27then that's what she will do.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31And that's why this proceeds of crime auction looks
0:26:31 > 0:26:32like the shoe section at Harrods.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34Claire Miller's shoes and handbags
0:26:34 > 0:26:38that she ripped off so many people to buy, are now all
0:26:38 > 0:26:42due to be sold. Later on, we'll see what they sell for.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Criminals use their ill-gotten gains to buy all different kinds
0:26:50 > 0:26:53of luxury goods. This man wanted to fund his hobby
0:26:53 > 0:26:57by trying to cheat the system out of illegally earned cash.
0:26:59 > 0:27:04This is Tony Bodgin. Tony enjoys a spot of golf
0:27:04 > 0:27:06and has his own set of fancy clubs.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Unfortunately, Tony also enjoys a spot of fraud.
0:27:10 > 0:27:12Over a period of five years,
0:27:12 > 0:27:16he abused his position as a housing manager at Exeter Council
0:27:16 > 0:27:19to fraudulently make £400,000.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23It all stemmed from his contact with outside contractors.
0:27:26 > 0:27:30Tony had set up his own company and the company was actually
0:27:30 > 0:27:33looking at surveying properties. So we have a number of properties
0:27:33 > 0:27:36of housing stock and one of the things is to actually go and
0:27:36 > 0:27:39inspect those properties from an insulation perspective,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42to see if they need insulation. What Tony was doing -
0:27:42 > 0:27:45he'd set up a company and as part of that company, he was saying
0:27:45 > 0:27:48he was carrying out the inspections, he was billing the council
0:27:48 > 0:27:50for the work but those inspections hadn't taken place.
0:27:50 > 0:27:54And when the council investigated further into their own employee's
0:27:54 > 0:27:57working practices, they found that he was receiving backhanders
0:27:57 > 0:28:02from suppliers, often to keep quiet that work hadn't been done.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04So, I think, as an organisation generally, we feel very
0:28:04 > 0:28:06disappointed in respect of his behaviour
0:28:06 > 0:28:09and exceptionally let down.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12Tony Bodgin wanted to take his fraudulently earned cash
0:28:12 > 0:28:14and spend it here on the golf course.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18But after he was sent to the police station here,
0:28:18 > 0:28:21he was then sent to the magistrates' court next door
0:28:21 > 0:28:23and then to jail
0:28:23 > 0:28:26and that means no need for his golf clubs.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30So, they are being sold to pay back a small part
0:28:30 > 0:28:33of the money Tony Bodgin made.
0:28:33 > 0:28:34On the bottom left of your screen,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38is the online auction of his golf clubs.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41They are being sold whilst he is in jail.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44And they were sold for a rather humble £90.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46That money will be returned to the state,
0:28:46 > 0:28:49just a small part of what Tony Bodgin had to pay back
0:28:49 > 0:28:52in total, but a reminder for all fraudsters
0:28:52 > 0:28:55that their plans of a luxury lifestyle
0:28:55 > 0:28:58often end in the jail cell.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09One of the biggest-ever projects funded by proceeds of crime auctions
0:29:09 > 0:29:13is something that has benefitted the many rather than the few.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17This community found a way to use money from criminality
0:29:17 > 0:29:18to transform a local landmark.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24Using auction sales and freezing bank accounts has led to police
0:29:24 > 0:29:29being able to claim back over £140 million that's been made
0:29:29 > 0:29:31by people committing crime
0:29:31 > 0:29:34and a small chunk of that money has been put to good use here,
0:29:34 > 0:29:37in a place that used to be the haunt of drug dealers and users,
0:29:37 > 0:29:39but not any more.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43The canal here in Chesterfield was built in the 1700s.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47But in the 20th century, it fell into disuse and a piece of Britain's
0:29:47 > 0:29:51economic history became an unloved local eyesore.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54And canal enthusiast Rod can remember what this place
0:29:54 > 0:29:56used to be like.
0:29:56 > 0:29:57The towpath was in a terrible state.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Glue sniffers and so on would hang about here.
0:30:00 > 0:30:01It certainly wasn't the sort of place
0:30:01 > 0:30:03you would stay or you would want to sit down
0:30:03 > 0:30:05and sit and have a pot of coffee
0:30:05 > 0:30:07and a sandwich or something like that.
0:30:07 > 0:30:10You would just, sort of, walk straight through.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14Local people would never use an area like this to come and relax.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17I think that's a fair thing to say.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Local volunteers wanted to turn the area into somewhere people
0:30:20 > 0:30:24would want to come to and worked very hard to improve the canal
0:30:24 > 0:30:28but they felt there was a limit to what they could do.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30The big outbuildings on the site would never return to their
0:30:30 > 0:30:34former glory without an enormous cash injection and no-one
0:30:34 > 0:30:36at the trust had that sort of money.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40There was an old lockhouse here and that was incredibly dangerous
0:30:40 > 0:30:41and it was about to fall down.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44I mean, bricks falling out of the walls, it was that bad,
0:30:44 > 0:30:46so it would have to be knocked down.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50Then we heard of a government scheme called Community Assets
0:30:50 > 0:30:53and they had an awful lot of money that they were willing to hand out
0:30:53 > 0:30:56to people who were developing buildings which were dangerous
0:30:56 > 0:30:58that belonged to local authorities
0:30:58 > 0:31:00that could then be put to community use.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02And so we applied.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07And that's when the Proceeds of Crime Act sailed to their rescue.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11The volunteers applied for funding from the government as they
0:31:11 > 0:31:14had heard there was cash available for the right projects.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18They knew the cash had come from seized criminal assets
0:31:18 > 0:31:21but they hoped it would turn the area into something much better.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26What they received was over £300,000,
0:31:26 > 0:31:29which had come from Proceeds of Crime seizures.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32This huge cash injection enabled them to give people a reason to come
0:31:32 > 0:31:35down to the canal because they had built this -
0:31:35 > 0:31:38a visitor centre and cafe.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- Good afternoon, ladies. - BOTH:- Hello!
0:31:40 > 0:31:42And here we have Dawn, who's known as Nona,
0:31:42 > 0:31:44and that's why it's Nona's Coffee Shop,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46and Courtney and Katie.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49One of the attractions of this place is that they do all their own
0:31:49 > 0:31:52baking and people... People really love that.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55And around here, it looks like the money has gone from the crooks to
0:31:55 > 0:31:57the cooks because apparently this place
0:31:57 > 0:31:59has the best cakes in Chesterfield.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02When it's really sunny, you get loads and loads of people all day
0:32:02 > 0:32:04and the bike racks outside are completely full.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06It's just... It's just amazing
0:32:06 > 0:32:07and you get people queuing out the door.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Thank you very much indeed. Thank you, ladies.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13And with fantastic food and new buildings available,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16more people were coming to an area that had previously been
0:32:16 > 0:32:18abandoned to drug users.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20They say, "Oh, this is a lovely place.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22"Where did you get the money to build this?"
0:32:22 > 0:32:24So I just say that we got it through drug dealers and they're always
0:32:24 > 0:32:27a bit fazed, but then when you explain the situation
0:32:27 > 0:32:30and what's happened and it's basically repaying people
0:32:30 > 0:32:32who've been ripped off, then they think it's wonderful.
0:32:32 > 0:32:33It's a great idea.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36And so the more of that sort of thing that happens, the better.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38And speaking of doing more,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42Rob and the other volunteers have had another successful bid.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45The local Derbyshire Police and Crime Commissioner
0:32:45 > 0:32:49has just given them over £20,000 for a new canal boat
0:32:49 > 0:32:53and Rod and the team are about to carry out their launching ceremony.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58Today is a naming ceremony for new boats,
0:32:58 > 0:33:01which has been funded partly through the local
0:33:01 > 0:33:04Police and Crime Commissioner's NICE fund,
0:33:04 > 0:33:07which is a Proceeds of Crime fund and community groups can
0:33:07 > 0:33:10apply for it and we were lucky enough to be able to get some
0:33:10 > 0:33:13of the money for this fantastic boat you can see before you.
0:33:13 > 0:33:16The Canal Trust have asked the former Police and Crime Commissioner
0:33:16 > 0:33:19Alan Charles to help them launch the boat.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22On that boat, there's a plaque that says,
0:33:22 > 0:33:25"This boat has been part-funded with money seized
0:33:25 > 0:33:27"from criminals in Derbyshire."
0:33:27 > 0:33:32We made five rewards in the end to groups right across Derbyshire.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36There's a community hall, there's a community garden, a park,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40a football club and, of course, this wonderful new boat,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43which people from right across Derbyshire, right across the UK,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47can come and see and enjoy the proceeds of criminal earnings.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50It's something that all sections of the community will use over
0:33:50 > 0:33:52the next 20 years.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55We will take thousands of people out into...
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Onto the canal and they really enjoy it.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01The money has certainly made local people happy.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05People are absolutely delighted that it hasn't come from
0:34:05 > 0:34:08taxpayers' money, but it has come, as we all would like to say,
0:34:08 > 0:34:10drug dealers and other criminals
0:34:10 > 0:34:13and they're really very, very interested that
0:34:13 > 0:34:15that can be used into something which has developed
0:34:15 > 0:34:18into a real community hub. It's great news.
0:34:18 > 0:34:19It's great news.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21I think it's a strong message to the criminals.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23I want to thank them for giving us their money back
0:34:23 > 0:34:26and saying, "We're doing this for the community,"
0:34:26 > 0:34:27and that's really good.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30Who would have thought that selling off Rolexes and fast cars
0:34:30 > 0:34:33would have resulted in a local community being able
0:34:33 > 0:34:35to buy themselves a canal boat?
0:34:35 > 0:34:37It is still money from nasty people
0:34:37 > 0:34:39being turned to wonderful community use.
0:34:39 > 0:34:41So all kinds of people, thousands...
0:34:41 > 0:34:44No, tens of thousands of people will travel in this boat at some stage
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and enjoy our wonderful canal.
0:34:47 > 0:34:51CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:35:00 > 0:35:04Before Proceeds of Crime money can fund much-needed projects,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07something has to be sold off to raise the finance
0:35:07 > 0:35:11and sometimes it's the cars driven by crooks that are seized
0:35:11 > 0:35:14and auctioned off to the highest bidder.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21If you've made money through crime,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24police officers will pursue you to get that money back.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29That often means seizing a prized motor car or two,
0:35:29 > 0:35:31which hits crooks hard.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Very, very popular with criminals, vehicles, for lots of reasons.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36One, you need a vehicle. Two, it's a status symbol.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40Three, it's nice to have a nice vehicle to drive around in.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46And, as a result of one criminal case, these two status vehicles
0:35:46 > 0:35:49are about to make a hasty departure from the streets of London.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Their owner has been forced to sell them after
0:35:52 > 0:35:54a Proceeds of Crime investigation.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59But he wasn't a drug dealer or a thief - he was a businessman.
0:35:59 > 0:36:03The gentleman in question here is a man called Raphael
0:36:03 > 0:36:07who, along with others, was convicted of being involved in
0:36:07 > 0:36:12a fraud whereby they were signing off company accounts which had
0:36:12 > 0:36:15the potential to defraud the banking system of £9 million.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18Following his conviction, as part of his confiscation,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21these were some of the items that were seized and went off to auction.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25The fraudster behind the case was clever,
0:36:25 > 0:36:28but he didn't outsmart the Metropolitan Police's
0:36:28 > 0:36:32Asset Recovery Team and, as a result, Raphael
0:36:32 > 0:36:36is just about to lose two very desirable vehicles
0:36:36 > 0:36:39because this is a removals team who have orders
0:36:39 > 0:36:42to take his cars off the street and sell them at auction.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47And when these two vehicles went under the hammer,
0:36:47 > 0:36:49they sold straight away,
0:36:49 > 0:36:54netting roughly £14,000, money that will be returned to the Treasury.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00But it's not just white-collar criminals losing cars,
0:37:00 > 0:37:04this Audi A4 belonged to a gang of drug dealers in Portsmouth.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08They were shipping large quantities of drugs down from Manchester
0:37:08 > 0:37:09to the south coast.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13The gang would text local addicts, advertising they had brought
0:37:13 > 0:37:16in fresh drugs and business was booming.
0:37:16 > 0:37:18They made roughly £450,000
0:37:18 > 0:37:21before they were caught by Hampshire Police,
0:37:21 > 0:37:25and ringleaders John Burns and Luke Leighton received eight years
0:37:25 > 0:37:27and nine years respectively.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30And, as well as losing their liberty, they're losing
0:37:30 > 0:37:33their wheels because this Audi is up for sale right now.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36OK, folks, the first of the vehicles tonight - lot 43.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40This is the Audi A4 2.0 Tdi Quattro.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Great car. 170 brake horsepower, dynamic five-door estate.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47And it's here to be sold, straight in from the police, with no reserve.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51Where are we on the Audi? Do I have £10,000 on the Audi?
0:37:51 > 0:37:54£10,000 anywhere? Give me nine. £8,000.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56It's in the hall at 8,200.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58As in £8,200.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01That's very cheap for lot number 43,
0:38:01 > 0:38:03for a 2012 Audi A4.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06At 8,200. 84. 8,400.
0:38:06 > 0:38:0886 online. Bidding at 86?
0:38:08 > 0:38:11£8,600 once...
0:38:11 > 0:38:138,600 twice...
0:38:13 > 0:38:15- Third and last... - GAVEL BANGS
0:38:15 > 0:38:16..sold online, well done.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Being a criminal is all about upping your spending power
0:38:25 > 0:38:28and whatever a crook can buy with illegally made money
0:38:28 > 0:38:30can also be put under the hammer.
0:38:32 > 0:38:38Earlier on, we saw how con artist Claire Miller tricked 17,000 men
0:38:38 > 0:38:41out of £1.9 million through a fake escort company.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46And that money funded her love of designer shoes and bags.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Many of Claire Miller's shoes were over £600 new
0:38:51 > 0:38:53and the auction hall is full of people
0:38:53 > 0:38:57who have come for designer shoes at affordable prices.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01We have brands such as Jimmy Choo, Prada and Louboutin
0:39:01 > 0:39:04all being sold to the highest bidder with no reserve.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08And Aidan has had to become an expert in top ladies fashion brands
0:39:08 > 0:39:11as police now target designer gear,
0:39:11 > 0:39:13because to fashion-conscious buyers,
0:39:13 > 0:39:17a used pair of Jimmy Choos is still a pair of Jimmy Choos.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20What we have now noticed is that the law enforcement agencies
0:39:20 > 0:39:22have cottoned onto that, for want of a better phrase,
0:39:22 > 0:39:27and they are seizing these items and giving them to us to sell.
0:39:27 > 0:39:30So, now, rather than selling off one big ticket item,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32we are going to see how much money they can raise
0:39:32 > 0:39:36from auctioning off Claire Miller's entire designer wardrobe,
0:39:36 > 0:39:39bought solely from proceeds of crime.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Let's see what the first lot goes for.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44It's from the finest name in ladies' shoes.
0:39:45 > 0:39:49Size number 38, cost new over £600, where are we on the Louboutins?
0:39:49 > 0:39:52£50, I'm bid. Internet £50. And 75.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55£100 seated. Gentleman's bid £100. It's in the hall.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57130. 150 now.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00At £150 seated. 160.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03At £160 on the Louboutins once...
0:40:03 > 0:40:05160 twice...
0:40:05 > 0:40:07- Third and last... - GAVEL BANGS
0:40:07 > 0:40:08..sold online.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13£160 for second-hand shoes might seem like a lot,
0:40:13 > 0:40:14but the room is buzzing.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17The proceeds of crime sale of Claire Miller's shoes is attracting
0:40:17 > 0:40:20a host of bids online and in the auction hall.
0:40:22 > 0:40:25Sold online. Thank you, online. It's great value.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26£100 online.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28At 100 bid. Online has them.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31The shoes keep coming and going.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34I'm selling at £100 online.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Bidders in the room are snaffling up the shoes.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39I'm selling, at £100 online.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42And she had a fortune in handbags too.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45The Gucci black leather bag with chain.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47This black Gucci bag is 700 quid new.
0:40:47 > 0:40:49What does it sell for?
0:40:49 > 0:40:51- GAVEL BANGS - Sold online for 230.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53£230.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56The Roberto Cavalli bag, normally 1,000...
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Selling at 150.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00..sold for 150.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06And this tote bag is usually a steep 2,300 quid...
0:41:06 > 0:41:08- GAVEL BANGS - Sold online.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11..but it has just sold for almost a tenth of its cost price
0:41:11 > 0:41:16at £300 and auctioneer Aidan is well aware that some bidders who walked
0:41:16 > 0:41:17in to bid on one item
0:41:17 > 0:41:20were hotfooting out with something else altogether.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23When any couple or anyone comes along to an auction,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26they'll always have in mind what they want to buy
0:41:26 > 0:41:28and what we often find happens time and time again,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30there has to be an underbidder, there has to be...
0:41:30 > 0:41:33There is one winner, there's probably lots of losers
0:41:33 > 0:41:36in an auction, so if someone turns up to buy an R8 sports car,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39an RS3, and they've lost out, and they have their husband
0:41:39 > 0:41:42or their wife alongside them, they will often turn their attention then
0:41:42 > 0:41:44to something else and end up going home
0:41:44 > 0:41:46with a pair of shoes or a watch.
0:41:46 > 0:41:48And there is a couple in the hall who might fit the bill.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51Nice, classic look, these ones. Where are we on the Louboutins?
0:41:51 > 0:41:55Looking for 75. It's a £50. A bid in at £50.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58It's with you, it's with 75. 100 against you. 125.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03It's in the hall. Took the bid first in the hall at £125. At £125.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05150 against you, 175.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07At £175 once...
0:42:07 > 0:42:08twice...
0:42:08 > 0:42:10- third and last... - GAVEL BANGS
0:42:10 > 0:42:11..sold.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15They bag themselves two pairs of Louboutins.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17And they didn't even come for the shoes.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19We actually came here today to look at the cars.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21I was hoping he was going to buy me a new car for my birthday,
0:42:21 > 0:42:23which is coming up very shortly.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25But I get two new pairs of shoes instead,
0:42:25 > 0:42:28which I'm absolutely delighted with. It is one of my favourite brands.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31I have a couple of pairs already but it's coming near birthday time
0:42:31 > 0:42:34so I got treated tonight to two new pairs.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35A fantastic day at the auction.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38We always enjoy coming here, you always get a good bargain.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40We have saved a few pounds tonight and we have thoroughly
0:42:40 > 0:42:42- enjoyed ourselves.- Yeah. - It's been good fun.
0:42:42 > 0:42:44We've had our tea as well.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49By the time all the luxury shoes and bags have been sold,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51there's thousands of pounds made back
0:42:51 > 0:42:53for the Proceeds of Crime kitty.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Much of that money will go to good causes
0:42:55 > 0:42:57but the law doesn't stop there.
0:42:57 > 0:43:00Claire Miller will now be subject to a financial reporting order
0:43:00 > 0:43:02for the next ten years.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05Whenever she spends money, the police will be watching her.
0:43:08 > 0:43:10Even when criminals are behind bars,
0:43:10 > 0:43:12they are still paying off their debt to society.
0:43:12 > 0:43:15And when they come out, if they haven't cleared that debt,
0:43:15 > 0:43:19the police will continue to hunt down their ill-gotten gains.