Man feigned cancer to defraud his friends

BRITAIN: A former air steward who feigned cancer to defraud well-wishers out of tens of thousands of pounds was jailed for four…

BRITAIN: A former air steward who feigned cancer to defraud well-wishers out of tens of thousands of pounds was jailed for four years yesterday.

Glenn Rycroft (27), had pleaded guilty at Manchester Crown Court to 25 counts of deception after telling friends and family he was dying from a brain tumour.

The court heard how he had even shaved his head to convince people he was undergoing treatment, actions described by the judge as "mean, wicked and heartless".

Mr Alan Kan, a spokesman for Rycroft's friends and family, told journalists outside the court that their trust and loyalty had been rewarded with betrayal and heartache.

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"During the time we thought we were helping a sick, dying friend, Glenn nearly destroyed my future and relationships with friends and my family," he said.

Rycroft accepted thousands of pounds from supporters and used it to travel the world on the pretence of receiving treatment from the best cancer hospitals, the court was told.

He also used the cash - amounting to an estimated £20,000 (€28,430) - to set up a series of businesses.

The cancer fraud followed a period in which he had defrauded friends and relatives out of around £200,000 by persuading them to invest in a fictitious British Airways investment scheme. - (Reuters)