Tissue of lies blew apart to snare jetset Scots conman

Published on Friday 20 November 2009 21:46

MICHAEL Brown had all the trappings of a highly successful international businessman – the private jet, an ocean-going yacht and a list of clients that he claimed included royalty.

However, the Glasgow-born convicted fraudster, who posed as a bond dealer, was weaving a web of deceit which fooled many of the world's wealthy movers and shakers.

He claimed to have been educated at Gordonstoun and St Andrews University – in fact he failed his "O" level maths and had a City and Guilds in catering from Glasgow College of Food Technology.

Brown, 43, who also said his father was a lord, tricked victims into handing over 36 million to invest in his companies, promising vast returns.

Victims included the former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards, who lost 8 million.

In May, Brown was jailed for seven years in his absence after going on the run. Police said the blond pony-tailed conman often altered his appearance and was thought to be in the Caribbean. He had gone on the run before, fleeing to Majorca in 2004 to escape a perjury and passport fraud case.

He was jailed for two years on those charges, and on his release he was charged in connection with the Edwards case. He immediately absconded when given bail.

Before disappearing, he told clients he had cancer and changed his name to "Campbell-Brown".