A builder who defrauded a South Kensington resident on a £700,000 home refurbishment project before spending the money at casinos has been jailed for four years.
Jimmy Lee, director of Myint Construction Ltd, was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on Friday and was barred from being a company director for eight years.
The court heard how the builder defrauded his client on a South Kensington property after obtaining a contract in February 2018 through deception. He fabricated references and issued false invoices to do so.
Lee provided misleading information about timeframes and delays, leaving the property in disrepair and unfinished.
The builder received payments ostensibly for paying subcontractors. But a substantial portion of the funds, which the client unknowingly paid into Lee’s personal account, was instead spent in casinos.
Trading Standards launched a probe in January 2020 after being tipped off which led to Lee being prosecuted three years later.
He pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraudulent trading contrary, but after a three-week trial, he was found guilty of all charges.
Kensington and Chelsea Council, which brought the prosecution, said it will now consider whether to obtain orders to seize any ill-gotten gains.
Councillor Cem Kemahli, Lead Member for Planning and Public Realm, said: “Cheating our residents won't go unpunished and this charlatan has rightfully been prosecuted for defrauding their client. This action is a signal to all other fraudulent operators that we won't hesitate to take action.
“Our Trading Standards team have worked tirelessly whilst investigating one of the biggest cases in the borough, work which took almost three years.
“Let this show that we will continue to protect residents and stop unfair, deceptive, and fraudulent business practices as we work to create a safer and fairer borough.”
