A man who pretended to be high powered wealthy businessman to defraud a woman out of £49,000 has been sentenced. Gopinath Kodandaramappa Setivarahalli, 29, was sentenced this Tuesday to two years and three months in prison. He had pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud at Isleworth Crown Court was sentenced at the same court.
The court heard how in February 2016 the victim had been renting properties. She was contacted by Setivarahalli, who over the course of the next few weeks represented himself as a high powered wealthy businessman. He attempted to persuade her that he was a successful technology entrepreneur and successful investor.
On or around the weekend of 27 to 28 February 2016 he attended the victim's home address unannounced, he then proceeded to tell her that he had invested a sum of money on her behalf in shares and that she should pay him for them.
The victim told him she did not want anything to do with the purchase, but he demanded she pay him for the investments. He left and then in the following days he attempted to get the victim to pay him for the shares and provided false documents to her showing that the investments had initially increased in value.
In early March 2016 the victim felt she had no option but to pay for the investment's, that she never authorised, so she transferred £20,000 to him.
Not content with his illicit gains, he preyed on the victim further by falsely representing his links with a non-existent firm of solicitors. Convincing the already vulnerable victim, into paying approximately £29,000 in fees for services he had not provided in relation to an unrelated legal dispute.
Eventually the victim realised that all the investments and the legal firm were fake and she had been deceived and informed police of the fraud. Setivarahalli was arrested and charged with two counts of fraud.
DC Dylan Enright from Westminster CID, said: "Setivarahalli deceived the victim and ignored her repeated requests that she have nothing to do with his schemes. He is a determined and committed fraudster who portrayed himself as an international businessman with a string of successful companies. His lies have been exposed, and his custodial sentence reflects the serious nature of this offending. I would urge any victims of fraud not to hesitate, but call police and report the crime."
