A 63-year-old woman from Norwich, Susan Goose, has been sentenced to six years in prison for defrauding seven individuals out of nearly £500,000. Goose was found guilty of five counts of fraud by false representation at Norwich Crown Court on April 26, 2024.
Between 2011 and 2024, Goose convinced her victims to lend her substantial sums of money by claiming she needed funds to pay for legal fees in a civil case over a supposed inheritance dispute. To gain their trust, Goose would befriend her victims in local pubs, using fabricated documents—such as fake emails and court papers—allegedly from solicitors, banks, and the High Court.
Her manipulation led several victims to lose significant assets. In one instance, a victim lost their home and business, and was eventually forced to enter an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA). It was through this victim’s financial collapse that Goose’s crimes came to light. The case was referred to Broadland CID after the victim sought help through Action Fraud.
Goose was arrested in January 2024 after an investigation began, and following the discovery of additional victims, she was charged with five counts of fraud by false representation. Further searches at her home revealed no evidence of the civil court case she had claimed to be involved in. Financial investigations showed that Goose had spent over £130,000 on online gambling, with more than 2,600 transactions made to gambling sites.
At her sentencing, Goose requested that two additional fraud offences be taken into account, bringing the total to six years in prison. Investigating officer DC Dave Block described her actions as “a gross abuse of trust,” adding that Goose showed no remorse during the investigation. The officer praised the victims for their courage in assisting the case, hoping the sentence would bring them some closure.
