'High-flying businessman' with champagne lifestyle JAILED after he's exposed as conman who lived with his mum

A conman who posed as a ‘diamond geezer’ with a champagne lifestyle has been jailed - after he was exposed as a former butcher who still lived with his mother.

Fraudster Daniel Burgoyne boasted of being a broker with the Midas touch who dabbled in carbon credits, diamonds and wine.

On Facebook the Rolex-wearing trickster pictured himself smoking cigars, gambling at a casino, quaffing champagne and enjoying a luxury lifestyle with foreign holidays.

He claimed he was running his businesses from an address in London's financial heart, and used his false persona to con nearly 20 people out of tens of thousands each.

In reality, Burgoyne was based out of a business park in Folkestone, had a mediocre academic record and was an ex-trainee butcher who was lodging with his mother.

Burgoyne, 24, conned 18 victims - including one who lost nearly £33,000 - into believing they were investing in carbon credits.

The credits are certificates or permits which can be traded for money.

Burgoyne, of Folkestone, Kent traded through his two companies Elite Broker Company and Elite Commodity Markets.

Jim Harvey, prosecuting, said he tricked people into thinking they were investing in wine or diamonds and offered unrealistic returns.

Police found evidence he blew more than £56,000 on the 'high life' until he was caught.

Records showed he bought just ONE diamond at £1,481 and £2,130 worth of wine.

Salesman Burgoyne paid himself £20,947 in dividends, transferred £7,498 to his personal account and withdrew nearly £28,00 in cash.

He also blew £1,500 gambling and £1,115 at pubs, restaurants and hotels. Police seized £27,427 from his account before it could be spent.

Anthony Abell, defending, said: 'As a teenager he began working at a butchers and intended to make his way in that trade.'

He said Burgoyne claimed he was 'headhunted' by a company trading in carbon credits and when it went bust started his own company dealing in the credits.

He added: 'He was a rather ambitious young man who was dazzled by all the glamour he saw around him.

'But he is genuinely sorry for all his lies which he made to close deals.'

Burgoyne admitted 18 fraud charges and was jailed for two years.

Judge Simon James told him: 'This was a sophisticated deception in which just £10,000 of the £80,000 you received was actually invested - and even then not in anything which would produce proper returns for the investors.'