A “HARDWORKING” bank worker led a double life as a criminal mastermind who scammed her own family in a £500,000 con.
Annabelle Allan used her role at Lloyd’s Bank as a “cover” to dupe those closest to her – including her brother – into investing in the fake share scheme.
The 29-year-old claimed she was “hardworking, bubbly, enthusiastic and friendly person” with a “thirst for knowledge”.
But behind closed doors, the mum-of-two had spiralled into debt to satisfy her “addiction to money“.
In a “sophisticated” scam, she duped family and friends into handing over their hard-earned cash to the tune of £500,000.
Her own brother ended up in court with £16,600 worth of debt when Allan took out loans in his name without his knowledge.
But Allan’s wicked lies eventually came crashing down and she has now been jailed for four years after admitting fraud.
Bradford Crown Court heard between 2017 and 2019, Allan used her IT position at a Lloyds Bank data centre to devise a “detailed and convincing” fake share scheme.
She managed to obtain around £500,000 by forging signatures and sending investors fake letters purporting to be from the police or solicitors.
Around £300,000 of her ill-gotten gains have been paid back – although £167,796.40 is still unaccounted for.
She was later suspended from Lloyd’s and arrested when her scam was uncovered but Allan was undeterred.
The mum instead took a job at a car sales firm where she managed to fleece £37,676 from customers.
Gurdit Singh, defending, said Allan fell into a “vicious cycle of debt” after taking out Payday loan when she was 18.
But Recorder Bryan Cox KC said she had shown persistence and a “considerable degree of sophistication” in her offending.
He added: “When you received complaints you fobbed people off with elaborate excuses.
“These were people that you knew, that you were in regular contact with, and your ability to perpetrate this offending shows a high degree of callousness and disregard for the lives of other people, some of whom you purported to be in friendship with.
“You were tricking people and misleading them to part with substantial sums of money.”
Robert Johnson is a UK-based business writer specializing in finance and entrepreneurship. With an eye for market trends and a keen interest in the corporate world, he offers readers valuable insights into business developments.
