Conman caught counting £30k he scammed from Midland OAPs acting as ‘fraud investigator’

Rohith-Reddy Kananala, 28, posed as a fraud investigator to prey on vulnerable people

A shameless scam artist who brazenly counted the thousands he duped from elderly pensioners has been slapped with a one-year jail term.

Rohith-Reddy Kananala, aged 28, masqueraded as a bogus fraud investigator to target vulnerable individuals across Britain.

He spun a yarn to the senior citizens that their financial institutions had been infiltrated by crooks and cajoled them into handing over their life savings.

Read more: ‘Wrong’ decision caused Shababs destruction

Kananala directed them to dispatch their cash via Royal Mail special delivery to his address on Kimberley Road, Leicester.

Unbeknownst to the victims, the address was his residence where he would sign for the parcels under the name ‘William’.

In his despicable spree throughout March, Kananala conned eight pensioners, between the ages of 79 and 88, out of £30,000.

The conman’s gig was up when bobbies pounced on his abode and collared him sporting the same T-shirt he donned in the ill-advised cash counting video.

East Midlands Special Operations Unit’s sleuths, spearheaded by Senior Criminal Finances Manager Graham Prince, also confiscated £3,000 in lucre found at his domicile.

His day in court at Leicester Crown Court saw him fess up to possession of criminal property and attempted possession of criminal property, leading to his 12-month stint behind bars.

Mr. Prince revealed: “This fraud may be relatively simple, but it has proven incredibly effective.

“It plays on people’s innate trust of those seemingly in authority, as well as their instinct to protect what they hold dear.

“The acute effects are that victims often feel they have suffered an invasion, with the fraudster having reached into their homes – where they feel the safest – and manipulated their good faith; not to mention stealing a big chunk of their savings.

“While the lost money has a number on it, the cost to their sense of safety is immeasurable.

“I am pleased we were able to identify and act as quickly as we did, avoiding anyone else being subjected to this deception.

“The police, banks or other government agencies will never ask you to withdraw cash and send it to them.

“Please treat any requests suspiciously and seek advice from family and friends.”

Police investigators are seeking to recover the swindled money through the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).