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Con artist admits to £2m thefts Con artist admits £2m fraud spree
(about 2 hours later)
A woman is facing jail after admitting to stealing paintings, jewellery and antique furniture that were estimated to be worth £2m. A woman who tricked some of Europe's top auction houses and boutiques out of £2m worth of paintings, jewellery and antiques is facing jail.
Shahra Marsh, 52, duped high class jewellers, fashion houses and auctioneers in Paris. Shahra Marsh, 52, lived the high life for seven years at expensive flats in London's Docklands, Isle of Dogs, Bayswater and Mayfair.
Ms Marsh had previously denied 23 charges at Southwark Crown Court of fraud and concealing goods. Auctioneers Bonhams, Christie's and Sotheby's and boutiques in Paris were given cheques that later bounced.
She lived in London's Docklands, Isle of Dogs, Bayswater and Mayfair areas and is due to be sentenced on Thursday. Marsh pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to fraud and concealing goods.
She admitted 20 offences committed between May 2005 and July 2007.
It can also now be reported that she pleaded guilty to 18 similar counts at previous court appearances.
Marsh will be sentence on Thursday.
'Organised criminal'
Her crime spree lasted from 2001 to 2008.
The court was told she used aliases including Shara Sylvia Marsh De Savigny as part of her fraud.
She would charm shop assistants and convince them that she was a genuine customer with money to spend.
The goods would be picked up in person or shipped from overseas to her rented addresses in London.
Speaking outside court, Det Con Marek Coghill from the City of London Police said: "I'd say the skills that she employed in doing this and the dedication she put into it, only come from a committed and calculated organised criminal."