Wolverhampton husband and wife gang leaders wanted for conning elderly out of £3m

Four men and a woman from Wolverhampton, who are believed to have fleeced unsuspecting members of the public out of thousands of pounds, have been named by a police fraud squad urgently trying to track them down.

They are suspected of committing a string of offences across the country.

The gang, who are reported to be travellers, are led by husband and wife crime duo Kathleen McCarthy, aged 29, and Oliver Boswell, 30.

McCarthy is on the run having been convicted in her absence of conning 14 elderly or vulnerable victims out of £220,000 across 11 counties in a year-long crime spree.

The 29-year-old, from Wolverhampton, is wanted for sentencing having been convicted in her absence of nineteen counts of money laundering following trial. She received more than £220,000 from 14 elderly and/or vulnerable victims between December 2013 and December 2014. Victims were from 11 counties across the UK.

Boswell, 30, pocketed £24,000 from four victims. He pleaded guilty to four money laundering offences but failed to attend court when due to be sentenced.

Serial con artist John McCarthy, 33, is wanted for five fraud and money laundering offences, which saw him pocket almost £160,000. On at least one occasion he posed as a Trading Standards officer and convinced elderly occupants across London, Surrey, Kent, and Sussex to pay thousands to have flood damage in their houses repaired.

James Flynn, 42, who also uses the name James Sheridan, allegedly tricked a man in London into transferring money into four different accounts, receiving £64,600.

Daniel Sheridan, 48, allegedly pretended to be a judge, threatening his victim with jail if money was not paid. A total of £79,000 was put into Sheridan’s bank account.

The appeal to catch the gang of fraudsters had been launched by the Joint Fraud Taskforce and City of London Police. Three others – Denis Marku, 21, from London, John Joseph O’Brien, from Cambridge, and Nathan Hudson, 34 from East Yorkshire – are also wanted.

Detectives say they are determined to bring the crooks to justice but are appealing for the public’s help in tracking them down.

Detective constable Lee Pocock, from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “This is organised criminality targeting the most vulnerable in our society. The South East Regional Organised Crime Unit will pursue these individuals using all resources and partner agencies available to ensure prosecution and sentencing.

“Upon conviction we will also conduct confiscation proceeding under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) to ensure compensation for the victims.” National Crime Agency Director of Prosperity Donald Toon added: “The eight wanted fraudsters that feature in this campaign have each caused significant harm to people in the UK.

“We in the NCA are working in close partnership, through groups such as the Joint Fraud Taskforce, with organisations across the public and private sectors to apprehend criminals who have so far managed to evade justice.

“Members of the public have a key role to play in helping to locate these criminals to ensure that they are brought to justice. I appeal to anyone who may have relevant information to contact Crimestoppers and help ensure that these fraudsters can no longer cause financial harm and emotional distress to their victims.” City of London Police Commissioner Ian Dyson QPM said: “Law enforcement, Government, businesses, and the public working together is one of the keys to combating fraud and bringing criminals to justice.

“The Joint Fraud Taskforce is key to this and brings an urgency and clarity to the UK’s response to fraud, and enhances our efforts to protect the public and businesses across the UK.

“I would urge anyone who has information on the wanted fraudsters to call officers as these people will continue to commit fraud across the globe that cause misery to so many worldwide.”

Anyone with information should call 101.