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| Author Hanif Kureishi loses life savings to suspected fraud | Author Hanif Kureishi loses life savings to suspected fraud |
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| The bestselling author Hanif Kureishi has lost his life savings of £120,000 after becoming the latest high-profile personality to fall foul of suspected fraud. | The bestselling author Hanif Kureishi has lost his life savings of £120,000 after becoming the latest high-profile personality to fall foul of suspected fraud. |
| The London-based writer, best known for writing My Beautiful Laundrette and The Buddha of Suburbia, said he had lost his money after being persuaded to invest in a property deal. | The London-based writer, best known for writing My Beautiful Laundrette and The Buddha of Suburbia, said he had lost his money after being persuaded to invest in a property deal. |
| The man who proposed the investment, Kureishi's then accountant, is thought to have raised similar large sums from several other "clients and friends". | The man who proposed the investment, Kureishi's then accountant, is thought to have raised similar large sums from several other "clients and friends". |
| The writer, who confesses to knowing little about complex financial affairs, said he thought he had been following the advice of a north London firm of chartered accountants, Fisher Phillips, to which he had been introduced by his agent in 2011. | The writer, who confesses to knowing little about complex financial affairs, said he thought he had been following the advice of a north London firm of chartered accountants, Fisher Phillips, to which he had been introduced by his agent in 2011. |
| Kureishi said the money lost in the investment had been intended to cover "the ups and downs of being a writer". | Kureishi said the money lost in the investment had been intended to cover "the ups and downs of being a writer". |
| Fisher Phillips, which is thought to have a number of big-name media clients, yesterday strenuously denied its involvement and said its then partner, Adam Woricker, had acted entirely alone. Woricker was sacked by Fisher Phillips last July. | Fisher Phillips, which is thought to have a number of big-name media clients, yesterday strenuously denied its involvement and said its then partner, Adam Woricker, had acted entirely alone. Woricker was sacked by Fisher Phillips last July. |
| "I'd asked my agent if they could recommend someone to do my accounts," said Kureishi. "Fisher Phillips sent over a partner and he was very helpful and charming. When he proposed this investment to me, he said many other clients and other writers are making this investment … I said, great. He worked for a very respectable firm that had been in business for 60 years, one that came highly recommended by my agent." | "I'd asked my agent if they could recommend someone to do my accounts," said Kureishi. "Fisher Phillips sent over a partner and he was very helpful and charming. When he proposed this investment to me, he said many other clients and other writers are making this investment … I said, great. He worked for a very respectable firm that had been in business for 60 years, one that came highly recommended by my agent." |
| The letter recommending the investment, sent to Kureishi by Woricker using the company email address and seen by the Guardian, promised a return of 15% on the money, which had to be invested for 120 days. | The letter recommending the investment, sent to Kureishi by Woricker using the company email address and seen by the Guardian, promised a return of 15% on the money, which had to be invested for 120 days. |
| Outlining the investment opportunity, it said: "One of my clients is completing on a property deal which involves them obtaining around £20m loan facility that they will use to purchase a series of properties. They paid their deposit of around £400,000 and have now been asked for proof of funds for around another £200,000-£250,000 – I have arranged a lot of this already through clients and friends and I have put in £20,000 myself." | Outlining the investment opportunity, it said: "One of my clients is completing on a property deal which involves them obtaining around £20m loan facility that they will use to purchase a series of properties. They paid their deposit of around £400,000 and have now been asked for proof of funds for around another £200,000-£250,000 – I have arranged a lot of this already through clients and friends and I have put in £20,000 myself." |
| Kureishi, who was recently awarded a CBE, said he made an initial investment of £50,000. He received the first promised interest, paid into his current account, a sum of £7,500. He invested a second tranche, a further £70,000, in May last year. | Kureishi, who was recently awarded a CBE, said he made an initial investment of £50,000. He received the first promised interest, paid into his current account, a sum of £7,500. He invested a second tranche, a further £70,000, in May last year. |
| "The next thing I know is that I get a call from Fisher Phillips telling me they have sacked him and that I should talk to my lawyers. | "The next thing I know is that I get a call from Fisher Phillips telling me they have sacked him and that I should talk to my lawyers. |
| "I've been told there's little prospect of me getting my money back. Fisher Phillips has denied all knowledge, refused to apologise to me, refused to make recompense and until this week have refused to meet with me in any way. They said [it was] nothing to do with us." | "I've been told there's little prospect of me getting my money back. Fisher Phillips has denied all knowledge, refused to apologise to me, refused to make recompense and until this week have refused to meet with me in any way. They said [it was] nothing to do with us." |
| Robert Ward, partner at Fisher Phillips, told the Guardian that Woricker had offered the investment "in a personal capacity and the firm had nothing to do with it". He added: "Fisher Phillips is not authorised to advise clients on this type of investment and we simply don't do it. We write to our clients telling them this. All the money that Woricker received went to his own account, and not the company's. Woricker was sacked at the beginning of last July as soon as we became aware of what was happening." Kureishi is now bringing a claim, alongside two other victims, against Fisher Phillips. | Robert Ward, partner at Fisher Phillips, told the Guardian that Woricker had offered the investment "in a personal capacity and the firm had nothing to do with it". He added: "Fisher Phillips is not authorised to advise clients on this type of investment and we simply don't do it. We write to our clients telling them this. All the money that Woricker received went to his own account, and not the company's. Woricker was sacked at the beginning of last July as soon as we became aware of what was happening." Kureishi is now bringing a claim, alongside two other victims, against Fisher Phillips. |
| Woricker was arrested by Essex police in March, but no charges have been brought. | Woricker was arrested by Essex police in March, but no charges have been brought. |
| Essex police would only confirm that a 40-year-old man from the Chelmsford area had been arrested in March on suspicion of false representation and theft. He had been bailed until 28 May. | Essex police would only confirm that a 40-year-old man from the Chelmsford area had been arrested in March on suspicion of false representation and theft. He had been bailed until 28 May. |
| The Guardian has been unable to contact Woricker. | The Guardian has been unable to contact Woricker. |
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