The boss of a London FX firm was found guilty of seven counts of fraud for his role in a Ponzi-style scheme that claimed to be a legitimate investment company.
(Bloomberg) — The boss of a London FX firm was found guilty of seven counts of fraud for his role in a Ponzi-style scheme that claimed to be a legitimate investment company.
Anthony Constantinou, who ran a number of corporate entities that made up the Capital World Markets brand, was accused of fraudulent trading and money laundering between 2013 and 2015. Prosecutors said CWM lured small-time investors in with the promise of “remarkable returns.”
A lawyer for Constantinou, 41, declined to comment on the verdict. The judge told the jury on Monday that Constantinou had failed to comply with his bail conditions and a warrant was issued for his arrest. They were previously told he had “voluntarily absented” himself midway through the trial.
The prosecution said during the six week trial that Constantinou was single-handedly responsible for defrauding investors of more than £50 million ($62.3 million). Investors were tricked into thinking it was legitimate business with authentic-looking luxury offices and elite sponsorship deals at Chelsea Football Club. Witnesses described him as a bully who was frequently drunk at work and created a toxic atmosphere in the office. He was previously convicted of two sexual assault offenses linked to his behavior at the company in 2016.
Constantinou’s defense lawyers argued that the suggestion he was a lone wolf was not correct and he was not responsible for the crimes. He was “not a nice man to work for and not a nice man to deal with. But none of that makes him a criminal,” his lawyer said.
Constantinou will be sentenced in his absence on June 9.
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