Northamptonshire conman duped 23 victims into handing him £1.5m of their life savings to invest in property that didn't exist before he gambled it all away

The serial grifter, who has convictions for fraud across the country dating back to the 1990s, persuaded a neighbour to hand him thousands which he then ‘invested’ in probate property and returned the cash, as well as huge handsome profit, a few weeks later.

Stunned by the quick success, that victim then persuaded more than a dozen pals and workmates to invest with Manny Kooner – whose real name is Harjinder Singh Kooner. Many of them sunk their life savings into his scheme, which promised ‘fast and high returns’.

But gambling addict the 54-year-old simply frittered most of the money away in The Grosvenor casino as well as in betting shops and gambling websites.

In total, Northampton Crown Court heard that Kooner had taken £1.44m from 23 victims in what the judge said amounted to a ‘Ponzi scheme’.

He was before His Honour Judge Rupert Mayo yesterday (Thursday, October 31) to be sentenced.

Quiana Fitzpatrick, prosecuting, explained that in February 2021 one victim was told by one of Kooner’s associates that there was a cheap probate house for sale in Abbeydale Grove, Leeds, but that she would need to act fast.

She handed over £100,000 to buy the property. She was told the sale was complete in April 2021 and visited the house, only to find the residents had been living there since 1997 and the house was not for sale.

Kooner had spent some of the cash in betting shops. He was arrested and released under investigation.

Undeterred, in November 2022, in a second scam, Kooner targeted a friend and neighbour who lived near his home in Gunning Close in leafy Horton, near Northampton.

Ms Fitzpatrick told the court: “The defendant claimed to deal in probate properties with fast and high returns for those who invest in the scheme.

"He would advertise properties which were allegedly for sale but none had, in fact, been for sale in recent years.

"He told one victim he owned 38 apartments and five houses and aimed to make £1.5m.”

He persuaded his neighbour to part with thousands.

Ms Fitzpatrick added: “At the beginning of the fraudulent activity the defendant would pay back investments with returns.

"For example an investment by his neighbour for £12,500 was returned at £21,000.

"This return allowed the victims to have faith in the defendant for further investments and further victims came on board.

"The neighbour then discussed these investments with people he worked with, which is where the rest of the victims came from.

"The defendant did not invest any of the money in property and instead gambled and lost the majority of the money.”

In October 2023 some of the victims began to ask for their money back and he tried to dupe them by showing them a screenshot of him trying to pay back £320,000, but the money was never sent.

The scam eventually unravelled when the neighbour visited one of the properties for sale and spoke to the resident, who told him the house was not on the market. The police were then called in.

Over the course of his scams, Kooner took £100,000 from his first victim, £939,868 from 15 further victims, and asked for a further seven offences totalling £403,000 taken from more victims.

One of the victims invested £163,000, one £120,000 and another £113,001.

Ms Fitzpatrick read excerpts from victim impact statements including one from a man whose cash had been earmarked for private education for his twins who had disabilities. He said he had been left scraping together the money for their education so they could stay in their school.

"His wife is overwhelmed with anxiety. This is tearing the family apart,” said Ms Fitzpatrick.

The neighbour who persuaded others to part with their cash was initially treated as a suspect and was shunned at work. He had his bank accounts frozen and can no longer get an account. He lost £40,847.

Three gambling companies, who became suspicious about the source of Kooner’s funds and closed his accounts, were supplied with fake P60s, banking screenshots and false bank statements by Kooner.

Mitigating, Tony Montgomery said his client was now working legitimately as a driver and had enrolled with two agencies to try to tackle his gambling problems.

"In a previous period in custody he was assaulted,” he said.

"He’s the author of his own misfortunes.”

Mr Montgomery had asked for yesterday’s hearing to be delayed so Kooner could attend a relative’s funeral, but Judge Mayo refused that request.

Kooner pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, converting criminal property, two counts of fraud by false representation and transferring criminal property, across two separate indictments.

As the astonishing details of the scam were heard for the first time in court yesterday, shell-shocked victims watched from the public gallery. Kooner remained entirely emotionless during the hour-long hearing.

Judge Mayo said: “You promised fast and high returns.

“The scam was typical of a Ponzi scheme.”

Kooner has 11 previous convictions for fraud offences including in Wolverhampton, Aylesbury and Woolwich, dating back nearly thirty years.

Judge Mayo said: “It’s a record which shows you have made little effort to control your gambling and every effort to talk people out of their money any which way you can.”

He was imprisoned for five years and proceeds of crime act proceedings will take place next year.

Following the hearing, lead investigator Detective Constable Lee Meadows said: “Manny Kooner’s lies allowed him to encourage people to part with their cash and invest in his fraudulent schemes.

“I am pleased that his lies and excuses have caught up with him and that he has been sent to prison.

“This has been a complex investigation which has involved speaking to multiple victims from across the country and completing a number of financial enquiries.

“I hope this result demonstrates our thoroughness in investigating such cases as well as our determination to ensure people like Manny Kooner are brought to justice.”