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| Pensioner grooming: seven charged with conspiracy to commit £1m fraud | Pensioner grooming: seven charged with conspiracy to commit £1m fraud |
| (3 months later) | |
| Seven people have been charged in connection with an alleged £1m conspiracy to groom and defraud pensioners. | Seven people have been charged in connection with an alleged £1m conspiracy to groom and defraud pensioners. |
| The suspects were among 16 individuals arrested on Tuesday in raids across Essex after a seven-month police investigation into a suspected organised crime gang who were believed to be grooming elderly people across the county in order to receive payments of thousands of pounds and loans. | The suspects were among 16 individuals arrested on Tuesday in raids across Essex after a seven-month police investigation into a suspected organised crime gang who were believed to be grooming elderly people across the county in order to receive payments of thousands of pounds and loans. |
| Police believe up to 140 pensioners aged between 65 and 99 were targeted by the alleged criminal gang. Eighteen of the elderly individuals interviewed by police died during the investigation. | Police believe up to 140 pensioners aged between 65 and 99 were targeted by the alleged criminal gang. Eighteen of the elderly individuals interviewed by police died during the investigation. |
| The seven have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between 2009 and 2013. | The seven have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between 2009 and 2013. |
| Six of those charged are due to appear in court later on Wednesday. | Six of those charged are due to appear in court later on Wednesday. |
| The seventh Rachel Poole, 47, is due to appear at Colchester magistrates court on 16 July. | The seventh Rachel Poole, 47, is due to appear at Colchester magistrates court on 16 July. |
| Those charged include brothers William and James Brown, aged 48 and 44 respectively. The brothers are also charged with blackmail and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. | Those charged include brothers William and James Brown, aged 48 and 44 respectively. The brothers are also charged with blackmail and conspiracy to conceal criminal property. |
| The remaining nine individuals arrested have been released on police bail until 3 July pending further inquiries. | The remaining nine individuals arrested have been released on police bail until 3 July pending further inquiries. |
| Assistant chief constable Gary Beautridge, head of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said: "The offences we are looking at amount to the apparent financial abuse of the most vulnerable members of our society. | Assistant chief constable Gary Beautridge, head of the Kent and Essex serious crime directorate, said: "The offences we are looking at amount to the apparent financial abuse of the most vulnerable members of our society. |
| "The evidence would suggest that these vulnerable people have been groomed and then preyed upon by a group whose sole intention appears to be to line their own pockets." | "The evidence would suggest that these vulnerable people have been groomed and then preyed upon by a group whose sole intention appears to be to line their own pockets." |
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