Karen Devonport, 58, and the victim, Susan Marshall, had grown up together and were 'like sisters,' according to the evidence presented at Newcastle Crown Court. When Devonport began asking for money in April 2019, Mrs. Marshall had no cause to suspect anything sinister. Devonport assured her that she would be able to repay the money once her divorce settlement of $79,121.25 was finalized. However, she had received in the previous year and had already spent it all.
Woman Left Cousin With Just $255 In Bank After Blowing Her $57k Life Savings
By
Haider Ali in
News
On 16th June 2022
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After transferring her life savings to her cousin to pay for new friends, a woman was left with just $255 in her bank account.
Susan Marshall's $57,208.40 nest fund was scammed out of her by Karen Devonport, 58, who took out 44 loans.
(Image: ncjMedia Ltd)
She promised to repay the woman when her $79,121.25 divorce settlement came – but her cousin had no idea until a year later that it had arrived and she had already spent it.
After pleading guilty to fraud, the Sunderland woman will now serve two years and four months in prison.
(Image: PA)
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The first loan was made in April of this year, according to prosecutor Alec Burns of Newcastle Crown Court.
"She asked for $9,738.20 for her daughter's wedding, but someone else had already paid for it," he explained.
(Image: ncjMedia Ltd)
“The defendant told her she was due a divorce settlement of $79,121.25 but soon and she would pay her back from that but as it turned out, she had already had that money for a year and had already spent it.”
There were no specifics on how she spent the money on convincing people to go out with her, although it was reported that she spent $3,651.60 on opening a new nail bar.
(Image: ncjMedia Ltd)
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Susan said in an impact statement: “Karen would tell me she was desperate, she needed the money and promised to pay me back once she received her divorce settlement.”
“I had no reason not to believe Karen or the reasons she needed the money. I believed the money would be returned. I had no reason not to believe or trust her.”
picture for representation purpose
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“I didn’t even tell my husband but as time went on I began feeling something wasn’t right."
“My daughter thought I was suffering from dementia.”
Karen is now repaying her cousin in $608.64 monthly installments, with a total of $3,651.60 repaid so far.
picture for representation purpose