'Catch Me If You Can' fake captain who conned victims for £270k to pay back £1

30 October 2023 , 20:22

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Serial conman Jody Oliver, 45, claimed he was captain of a luxury P&O cruise liner (Image: WALES NEWS SERVICE)

A bogus cruise-ship captain who conned tourists out of £270,000 has been ordered to pay back £1.

Serial fraudster Jody Oliver, 45, dressed as a P&O skipper and sold cruises that were fake. The “Walter Mitty” crook also sent emails from fake staff at parent company Carnival PLC and had a hoax lanyard. In August last year, he was jailed for six years and one month after admitting fraud.

In May, Cardiff crown court heard Oliver netted £272,111 from his crimes but only had assets worth £351.Judge Richard Williams said he had used the money to manage debts that had mounted up due to his “freeloading lifestyle”.

Mr Oliver conned tourists out of £270,000, but has been ordered to pay back £1 (WALES NEWS SERVICE)

A judge said he had used the money to manage debts that had mounted up due to his 'freeloading lifestyle' (Gwent Police)

Merthyr Tydfil crown court heard he had no money and ordered him to repay a nominal fee of £1. At the proceeds of crime hearing he was ordered to hand over the compensation or face an extra day in prison. Over the years, Oliver, formerly of Hereford, had posed as an airline pilot, car salesman and a drinking pal of ex-PM Boris Johnson. In 2019, he was arrested at his parents’ house in ­Presteigne, Mid Wales, after a number of scam victims had alerted police.

Among those he deceived were pensioners who lost their savings after believing they had booked “once-in-a-lifetime holidays”. Victim Christine Evans said: “I have not told my sons how much money I have lost as a result of the dealings of Mr Oliver.

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“But with me it’s not just about the money – I feel responsible for getting others involved. We are all hard-working people and for someone like Mr Oliver to do this, to do it to so many people and with no feelings… it makes my blood boil. I still have very bad days myself for getting my family and friends involved with this evil man.” Fellow victim Marshall Goddard added: “The whole episode has had a profound effect on my wife’s health and she now gets very anxious about little things that never bothered her before.”

Adam Aspinall