Files on alleged AIB fraudster's luxury jet revealed in court

COMPUTER FILES detailing the upkeep of a luxury private jet were found at the Mayfair offices of an alleged fraudster, a London…

COMPUTER FILES detailing the upkeep of a luxury private jet were found at the Mayfair offices of an alleged fraudster, a London court heard yesterday.

The file – titled “Plane” – was found at the upmarket Mayfair offices of alleged fraudster Achilleas Kallakis and detailed the purchase and maintenance of a luxurious Challenger 604 jet, jurors were told.

Mr Kallakis and his co-accused Alexander Williams are facing charges that they conspired to defraud AIB in Britain, which lent them £740 million (€921 million) for 16 property purchases on the back of an allegedly forged guarantee from a Hong Kong property firm.

They are also accused of swindling €29 million from HBOS.

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The file formed part of the Madonna directory, which contained information on the allegedly suspect business affairs of Mr Kallakis and his co-accused Alexander Williams, it is claimed.

The directory was handed to the UK Serious Fraud Office by a former employee of Mr Kallakis, after that office began an investigation into the £750 million fraud at the centre of the trial.

It is also alleged to show various documents relating to Mr Kallakis’s appointment as ambassador for the principality of San Marino.

Jurors also heard how the file contained notes on an allegedly fake businessman drafted in to help bolster the fraud.

Jurors also heard about a file named SHKP, after the Hong Kong estate agency from which Mr Kallakis and Mr Williams are accused of guaranteeing properties. They were told of how the file contained a copy of SHKP’s annual report for 2005/2006.

However, a further file, which prosecutor Annabel Darlow said was authored by Mr Williams in early 2007, offered detail on Jonathan Lee, it was said.

Mr Lee is the allegedly fake SHKP representative the men are accused of employing to reassure edgy bank chiefs about the loans they had been given.

Reading excerpts from it, Ms Darlow told of how Mr Lee worked in SHKP’s treasury department, “spends much of his time travelling”, and was “relatively new” at the company.

Giles Bedloe, for Mr Williams, said there had been a “bounty” of emails on the Madonna file but asked whether this meant they had actually been created or saved by his client.

Mr Kallakis and Mr Williams both deny two counts of conspiracy to defraud, 13 counts of forgery, five counts of fraud by false representation, two counts of money laundering and one count of obtaining a money transfer by deception.

The trial was adjourned yesterday and is due to resume at 2pm on Monday.