Aussie man living in London gets over $330,000 in scam abroad
How an Aussie man was scammed for over $330,000 in a global scam – as he exposes the dirty tricks the fraudster used to fund his lavish lifestyle
- Australian man one of seven victims of $3.3 million scam
- He lost more than $330,000 from his education business
An Australian man living in London nearly lost his home and business after being scammed by an employee of one of the world’s largest banks.
Former teacher Wayne Johncock was cheated out of $337,000 by Rajesh Ghedia, who falsely claimed to be the vice president of Bank of America.
Ghedia was actually an employee who worked in the technology operations.
Mr. Johncock was one of seven convinced by Ghedia to invest in non-existent financial funds between 2016 and 2022 totaling more than $3.3 million.
Ghedia also faked terminal cancer to claim $2.2 million in insurance payouts from numerous companies claiming he would die within 12 months.
An Australian man, Wayne Johncock (right), was robbed for more than $330,000 by a man claiming to be the Vice President of Bank of America
Ghedia claimed to be a wealthy merchant and Vice President of Bank of America when she met Mr. Johncock at a neighbor’s Christmas party.
He promised to invest millions in Mr. Johncock’s education business, but the former teacher was suspicious from the start.
“To really make sure I knew he was being absolutely honest, I said ‘fine, I want to meet you at work and I just want to communicate via your work email,'” Mr Johncock said. SurreyLive.
“He said, ‘That’s absolutely perfect,’ he would suggest the same thing.”‘
Ghedia then spent 15 months talking to Mr. Johncock and convincing him to negotiate his money for his education company.
They would meet at the Bank of America offices, where Mr. Johncock would be issued a security pass to eat in the cafeteria with the con artist.
“Every day I thought I was dealing with the Bank of America… (I) never thought I’d be involved in something like this,” Mr. Johncock shared Seven.
Mr. Johncock’s losses from Ghedia’s scam nearly cost him his business and home.
The mental anguish of the scam led Mr Johncock to turn to self-harm, which he has endured ever since.
Instead of investing his victim’s money, Ghedia sent it to his personal account that financed a lavish lifestyle.
He used the ill-gotten gains to pay for luxury cars, real estate and private education for his children.
Rajesh Ghedia (pictured) is currently serving a six-year, nine-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to more than 30 counts of fraud in 2022
Ghedia was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison in June 2022 after pleading guilty to more than 30 counts of fraud.
During sentencing, Judge Deborah Taylor described Gedia as a “hard-headed fraudster and liar.”
“You have brought devastation to them (the victims) by showing utter disregard for their mental well-being and finances,” Judge Taylor said.
“They all left scars.”
Ghedia also targeted parents of school friends, a cousin, and a taxi driver who had been promised they could double or triple the money they had given him.
To avoid conversations with his victims, Ghedia often made “terrible claims,” such as claiming that his daughter had died in a car accident.