A man has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for defrauding more than 30 people out of over £77,000 in a rental scam. Frederic Priestley, 34, from Southwark, falsely advertised a property he did not own on Facebook between April and September last year.
Priestley provided prospective tenants with tenancy agreements and collected deposits and rent payments, despite having no legal right to let the property. After receiving payments, he would offer excuses such as family deaths to avoid completing the agreements.
The Metropolitan Police received 34 reports from Action Fraud in September last year. Officers found that victims paid between £800 and £2,000 each, totalling £77,400, under the guise of deposits and fees.
Detective Constable Abimbola Emiola said: 'Priestley exploited people who were simply looking for somewhere to live, using convincing paperwork and false reassurances to make his scheme appear legitimate. This was not an isolated incident, but a sustained fraud carried out over many months.'
Priestley was arrested in October 2025 and pleaded guilty at Croydon Magistrates' Court in April. He was sentenced to two years and 11 months at Inner London Crown Court on Friday.
