A fraudster who funded his 'lavish lifestyle' by selling fake football memorabilia bearing forged signatures of top players has been jailed for six years. David Rennie, 46, from Banbury, Oxfordshire, sold shirts, balls and boots to customers worldwide via his website, FA Premier Signings, Bournemouth Crown Court heard.
Rennie was found guilty in January of fraud and money laundering, having made £1m over nine years. His wife Clare, 45, who admitted the same offences, is due to be sentenced on 27 February. Dorset Trading Standards prosecuted the couple after purchasing a purported signed Wayne Rooney Manchester United shirt for £150, which experts confirmed was forged.
Investigators found unsigned shirts and fake certificates of authenticity at Rennie's home in 2016. The fraud funded family holidays to Florida and luxury cars. Lead investigator Neil Martin said the 'deliberate and long-term fraud' duped some customers into paying over £700 for worthless items.
