Suffolk fraudster jailed over £11.5m scam targeting elderly

The pair’s offending between 2008 and 2018 was revealed after Long’s wealth management business group UWP collapsed in 2018.

Homeowners of or near retirement age across several counties including Essex, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Kent, were lured in by marketing seminars, which offered to manage and protect trust funds for inheritance planning.

But Long and “respected” independent financial adviser Simpson instead ploughed their money into “increasingly reckless investments”, the court heard.

Of the £11.5m loss, 79-year-old Simpson had defrauded £785,380 through investments and £615,000 by buying land in Spain.

But during the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Charlene Sumnall told Long that he was ultimately responsible for the loss of money.

The court was also told that a holiday to Mexico enjoyed by Long and his then-wife Melanie was paid for with the funds, as well as a timeshare property.

Perrins added: “Your offending has taken a very heavy toll on the lives of so many and you should feel deeply ashamed.”

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