A man who fraudulently sold fake cruise miles has been convicted of stealing £400,000 in a Ponzi-style scam that targeted 184 victims worldwide.
Richard Lester, 56, from Luton, England, used several aliases—including Lord Lester, Henry Lester, Les Richards, Richie Lescovitch, and Barry Williams—to evade capture for years. His fraudulent scheme involved selling “Cruisemiles” through his website, which victims purchased under the belief they could exchange them for discounted cruises. However, no cruises were booked, and instead, Lester used the money for online gambling, flaunting a lavish lifestyle.
The scam spanned several years, with victims located in countries such as the UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Germany, and France. Many only realized they were victims when they showed up at cruise ports and were turned away by operators.
Essex Police launched a 10-year investigation into Lester’s activities, uncovering a large-scale scheme that began as early as 2013. Police reports reveal that Lester continually increased the number of miles required to redeem cruises, tricking victims into committing more and more funds to the scheme. Despite his growing success, the scam began to unravel when several disgruntled victims reported the operation to authorities.
After an extensive investigation, which included analyzing numerous bank accounts and gathering testimony from victims, Lester was arrested. He was convicted of fraudulent trading and concealing criminal property. Over a period of three years, Lester swindled £406,856.39 from unsuspecting individuals.
PC Leanne Smith, who investigated the case, explained, “This was a complex case, and it required detailed work to trace exactly where the money had gone. Lester’s greed led to hundreds of people losing significant amounts of money, but justice has now been served.”
Lester’s sentencing is scheduled for February 11, 2025.
