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Casey A., a British citizen, has admitted to fraud with fake wine and whisky in the USA worth 13 million US dollars. His three companies Windsor Jones, Charles Winn and Vintage Whisky Casks, which were founded for this purpose, sold expensive investments in top wines and spirits to more than 150 mostly American pensioners with telephone calls. The Windsor Jones website, for example, promised the "purchase and sale" of the "most illustrious and enjoyable Bordeaux investment wines in the world". On the Vintage Whisky website, A. announced high returns on the "glamorous and lucrative" Scotch whisky market and offered access to rare single malts with great potential.
An 89-year-old from Ohio, for example, transferred more than $300,000 to invest in rare sweet wines. Another victim sent Alexander $85,000 after being promised a possible return of up to 40 percent by reselling the wines in China.
When the victims tried to reclaim their money, the bogus deals blew up. Some of them turned to the police, who eventually called in the FBI. The investigators brought in a man accused in another fraud case as an alleged investor. The man was promised a lighter sentence in return. This is how the authorities got on A.'s trail and arrested him on 14 June 2022. He has since confessed to the offences. He now faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to 250,000 dollars.
(al / source: decanter)