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'Good salesman' allegedly conned Sam Allardyce and West Ham players 'Good salesman' allegedly conned Sam Allardyce and West Ham players
(about 2 hours later)
Sam Allardyce, who could become the next manager of the England football team, described a fraudster who conned him and other West Ham staff out of thousands of pounds as extremely smart and a good salesman, a court heard. Sam Allardyce, who could become the next manager of the England football team, described a fraudster who conned him and other West Ham staff out of thousands of pounds as extremely smart and a good salesman, a court has heard.
Stephen Ackerman, 48, is accused of defrauding Allardyce, currently manager of the Premier League club Sunderland, and 12 other players and staff, including the England striker Andy Carroll, out of thousands of pounds by selling them hampers, which were never delivered, in December 2014. Stephen Ackerman, 48, is accused of defrauding Allardyce, now manager of the Premier League club Sunderland, and 12 other players and staff at West Ham, including the England striker Andy Carroll, out of thousands of pounds by selling them hampers, which were never delivered, in December 2014.
Ackerman, of Loughton, Essex, denies 18 fraud charges, with the proceeds amounting to a total of around £61,560. Allardyce, who is in talks with the Football Association about becoming England’s next manager, is said to have lost £13,270 in the alleged scam. Ackerman, of Loughton, Essex, denies 18 fraud charges, with the proceeds amounting to about £61,560. Allardyce, who is in talks with the Football Association about becoming England’s next manager, is said to have lost £13,270 in the alleged scam.
Appearing via videolink, wearing a black polo shirt, the Sunderland manager said: “I went and chatted away with, obviously, Stephen and ... talked about champagne and wine which he said he could get. I said he could then deal with Anita, my PA, for the payment of those goods. Then I went off training with the lads.” Appearing via videolink, wearing a black polo shirt, the former West Ham manager said: “I went and chatted away with, obviously, Stephen and ... talked about champagne and wine which he said he could get. I said he could then deal with Anita, my PA, for the payment of those goods. Then I went off training with the lads.”
Allardyce purchased six bottles of Laurent Perrier rosé champagne and six bottles of Sancerre wine, totalling £270, Snaresbrook crown court, in east London, heard. He then became aware of unauthorised fraudulent activity totalling £13,000 over the next few days. Allardyce purchased six bottles of Laurent-Perrier rosé champagne and six bottles of sancerre wine, totalling £270, Snaresbrook crown court, in east London, heard. He became aware of unauthorised, fraudulent activity totalling £13,000 over the next few days.
Describing the man he met on December 12, who was within “touching distance”, Allardyce said: “He was extremely smart, very well spoken and he set his stall up exceptionally well. There was a very good array of good quality products for sale. A good salesman, smart, excellent in terms of how he would sell his goods and how good the value was and obviously they would get delivered to you at a later date.” Describing the man he met, Allardyce said: “He was extremely smart, very well spoken and he set his stall up exceptionally well. There was a very good array of good quality products for sale. A good salesman, smart, excellent in terms of how he would sell his goods and how good the value was and obviously they would get delivered to you at a later date.”
Ackerman appeared at the court on Tuesday, wearing a dark suit and maroon tie, and taking notes throughout. He is accused of using the alias Mark Kingston, and setting up a stall to tempt West Ham staff and players with the hampers, containing Belgian chocolates, Yorkshire crisps, and champagne bottles, which were all heavily discounted. Ackerman appeared at the court on Tuesday, wearing a dark suit and maroon tie, and taking notes throughout. He is accused of using the alias Mark Kingston and setting up a stall to tempt West Ham staff and players with the hampers, containing Belgian chocolates, Yorkshire crisps and champagne bottles, which were all heavily discounted.
He then allegedly used a chip-andpin machine to obtain the details of several of those who paid by card and access their accounts. He then allegedly used a chip-and-pin machine to obtain the details of several of those who paid by card and access their accounts.
The defence argues Ackerman, who was picked out by a witness in an identity parade, was not the man who purported to be Mark Kingston.The defence argues Ackerman, who was picked out by a witness in an identity parade, was not the man who purported to be Mark Kingston.
Allardyce said he received a call from his bank about unauthorised charges on December 16. “I had a phonecall from my bank asking had I authorised a transaction for £1,272 from Harrods, and I said I hadn’t so obviously I had provided the bank with the information that I had not authorised any of those transactions. It was only at a later date that (I realised) so many of those transactions had gone within one day.” Allardyce said he received a call from his bank about unauthorised charges on 16 December. “I had a phone call from my bank asking had I authorised a transaction for £1,272 from Harrods, and I said I hadn’t so obviously I had provided the bank with the information that I had not authorised any of those transactions. It was only at a later date that [I realised] so many of those transactions had gone within one day.”
In cross-examination, when asked by defence counsel Michael Gumulka if he had “mixed up” the name of the man at the training ground, purporting to be Kingston, with that of the defendant, Allardyce replied: “May have done.” In cross-examination, when asked by the defence counsel, Michael Gumulka, if he had “mixed up” the name of the man at the training ground, purporting to be Kingston, with that of the defendant, Allardyce replied: “May have done.”
The judge directed the jury they must find Ackerman not guilty of count 17 as the club’s head of medical and sport science, Stijn Vandenbroucke, said in his evidence he had made a “mistake” in reporting that his card had been defrauded by £480.The judge directed the jury they must find Ackerman not guilty of count 17 as the club’s head of medical and sport science, Stijn Vandenbroucke, said in his evidence he had made a “mistake” in reporting that his card had been defrauded by £480.
The trial continues.The trial continues.