A heartless Kilmarnock conman – who exploited a 91-year-old widower out of more than £23,500 – has appeared in court.
Ferdinando Rossi pleaded guilty to partaking in a series of devastating fraud schemes, leaving victims thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Rossi, of Gibson Street, Kilmarnock also admitted concealing over £130,500 of criminal funds in banks throughout Kilmarnock town centre and transferring over £150,300 to accounts in Dubai, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
The 64-year-old admitted being involved in five fraudulent schemes between April 2012 and February 2015.
The first scheme, conducted between April 2012 to June 2015, took place within Rossi’s home address as well as a number of banks throughout the town centre.
It involved Rossi, along with other individuals, contacting people who had previously purchased a savings device.
Rossi pretended to these contacts that they were entitled to compensation but that in order for the payment to be made, they required to pay various fees.
As a result, Rossi obtained £71,840.33 to which he was not entitled.
In another sickening fraud scheme between April and July 2013, Rossi contacted the 91-year-old and sickeningly informed him that his deceased wife had won money in a competition she had entered prior to her death – which Rossi knew to be false.
Rossi told the elderly man that he would have to pay money in order to receive the prize sum and, as a result, induced the man to make payments totalling £23,520.
Another scheme, which took place between June to July 2014, involved Rossi contacting an 84-year-old woman and claiming she was entitled to payment as a result of mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI).
He again told her that in order to receive the payment she would need to pay fees.
As a result, the elderly woman was persuaded to send £2100 via cheque to Rossi, which he obtained through fraud.
Between October and November 2014, Rossi contacted an 85-year-old man claiming he was entitled to a tax rebate.
He again claimed a fee was required in order for the victim to receive these funds and he then managed to induce him to pay multiple cheques totalling £4950.
Rossi admitted the offences as well as pleading guilty to concealing, disguising and converting criminal property – the sum of over £130,500 – in four separate bank accounts between January 2013 and February 2015.
Rossi also pled guilty to transferring criminal property – the sum of £157,380 – to accounts abroad.
The conman admitted another charge of opening accounts at bank branches with a view to receiving and transferring cash from victims amounting to a staggering £229,695 of which £169,780 was transferred to various business enterprises across the world.
Rossi will be sentenced on October 14.
