Gang jailed for conning The Christie and multiple other charities out of more than £500k

A gang of fraudsters who conned charities including The Christie out of more than £500,000 have been jailed. David Levi, 47, headed the conspiracy which used fake ID badges, banners and merchandise to con kind-hearted members of the public.

From his headquarters in Blackpool, Levi arranged charity collections for The Christie, Children in Need, the Children's Society, Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and Mind, Lancs Live reports.

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His collectors targeted supermarkets across the UK, wearing Pudsey Bear outfits, sparkly hats and charity T-shirts to create an illusion they were legitimate. But instead of handing over the money to good causes, the collectors pocketed the cash which was given by members of the public.

In May 2017, BBC Children in Need made a referral to Action Fraud, claiming bogus collections were taking place in the charity's name. As a result, Lancashire Police searched Levi's homes and businesses and seized phones, diaries, computer equipment and marketing material.

During the investigation, they uncovered the lavish lifestyle Levi was living at the charity's expense. He had imported a Police Dodge Charger from the USA and paid £5,000 for it to be made roadworthy in the UK. He also splashed out on business class flights to Australia and a £10,000 luxury villa stay. More than £145,000 in cash had passed through his bank accounts, which he falsely claimed had come from casino wins and working as a male escort.

Six others were arrested in connection with the fraud, including Kaysha Beck, 31, who helped out in the office. Beck made around