Christopher John Surman was sentenced to four years in prison in 2014 after his Swansea-based call centre conned thousands of phone customers out of cash
A conman jailed for running a nationwide insurance scam has been sent back to prison after failing to pay back more than £420,000 profits from his criminal activity.
Christopher John Surman was sentenced to four years in prison in 2014 after his Swansea-based call centre conned thousands of phone customers out of cash.
The scam tricked around 3,000 mobile phone users across the country in the elaborate insurance scam.
Surman and his co-conspirators ran their scam from Sun Alliance House on Swansea's St Helen's Road. The fraudsters rang-up thousands of people who had just bought new mobile phones — primarily from Phones 4u and Carphone Warehouse — and sold them cheap, unauthorised insurance policies.
The scam was uncovered after a two-month long covert investigation by South Wales Police which included planting listening devices and a camera in their offices.
He was ordered to cough-up £482,000 under Proceeds of Crime Act powers or face a lengthy prison sentence.
But he paid back only a part of that and was sent back to prison for four years and 65 days.
Solicitor Chris Cormack, for Surman, told Swansea Magistrates Court his client had been doing all he could since his release from prison to pay what he owed, including selling his flat in Rembrandt Court in Sketty.
The court heard that the flat had originally been valued at some £190,000 — but he had managed to sell it "after tens of viewings" for just £78,000.
His mother also sold her house but, despite being valued at £100,000 last Christmas, it was eventually sold to a family member for just £55,000.
The court also heard Surman had £10,000-worth of furniture but that it couldn't been sold to realise its value because it had been seized by Avon and Somerset Police following a raid in Bristol.
He was also planning to sue a car salesman from the South Wales Valleys who he said owned him £80,000.
Mr Cormack said Surman had a friend who was taking out a £250,000 unsecured loan which he would give to the defendant — but the cash wouldn't be available to January next year.
The court heard Surman, who now lives in Southampton, owed the authorities some £420,000 - and that the daily interest accumulating on the debt is £88.39.
He was sent to prison for 1,536 days.
Detective inspector Paul Giess, of South Wales Police's economic crime unit, welcomed the jailing.
He said: "South Wales Police are determined to pursue the proceeds of crime, particularly in respect of organised criminality.
"This sentence demonstrates the consequences of non-payment of confiscation orders.
"Despite the sentence handed down today we will continue in our efforts to recover the funds."
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/conman-who-ran-massive-mobile-12023418
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