A man who claimed he was the Pope’s banker in order to steal £73 million has been jailed for 14 years
Luis Nobre was part of a gang of conmen who posed as international financiers to dupe Dutch shipping company Allseas Group Ltd into handing over vast sums of cash.
The 49-year-old boasted that he could make huge profits by using the Pope’s secret trading platform, and lived in a five-star hotel in central London. He eventually fled abroad and left his girlfriend and new born baby with a £130,000 bill.
The conman, along with his associates, tried to persuade members of shipping company Allseas to give them investment, boasting they had access to “secret and lucrative” trading through a platform connected to the Vatican via the Spanish royal family.
Nobre represented himself during the four-month trial, on several occasions accusing witnesses of lying and crying as he claimed to have been “massacred by the media”.
The jury found Nobre guilty of acquiring criminal property, five counts of transferring criminal property and three counts of possession of articles for use in fraud.
Judge Anthony Pitts jailed him for a total of 14 years and said: “As a result of the actions of the fraudsters Allseas lost control of the entire sum of 100 million euros although they did not realise they had been defrauded for some time as they were led to believe the money was still in the process of being invested on their behalf.”
Areas of Catholic Herald business are still recovering post-pandemic.
However, we are reaching out to the Catholic community and readership, that has been so loyal to the Catholic Herald. Please join us on our 135 year mission by supporting us.
We are raising £250,000 to safeguard the Herald as a world-leading voice in Catholic journalism and teaching.
We have been a bold and influential voice in the church since 1888, standing up for traditional Catholic culture and values. Please consider donating.