Man jailed for five figure family fraud

Over four and a half years James White spun a complex web of lies to induce his victim to obtain loans and credit agreements for cash, goods and motor vehicles. This was on the pretence that he would be repaid by way of compensation White was getting for being abused as a child.

White’s father in law and his wife purchased numerous items on credit including: two cars; a sofa; bedroom furniture; a garden shed, as well as paying for a decorator to redecorate White’s home address.

All of the purchases made went to the home of White who claimed he couldn’t get credit as a result of a bankruptcy ruling in 2012.

The total debt had taken on was £55,500, which included loans from financial institutions, friends and family, and money initially provided to the accused from personal savings.

Speaking after sentencing Angela Farrell, Assistant Procurator Fiscal for Glasgow said: “James White knew he was a trusted member of the family and took advantage of that fact to the tune of thousands of pounds.

“He preyed on the trust of his victim and exploited it in order to carry out his elaborate fraud. The victim in this case had no good reason to believe his son in law would carry out this kind of deception.

“There is no shame attached to becoming a victim of an elaborate fraud and we would urge all victims to report them so those responsible are prosecuted and pay for the consequences of their actions.”