The Web of Deceit: From Violent Crimes to Lottery Fraud
Edward Putman, a convicted rapist and former bricklayer, spent over 15 years weaving an intricate tapestry of deception that ultimately netted him £2.5 million from the National Lottery through an elaborate forgery scheme. His criminal journey, marked by brutal acts of violence and sophisticated fraud, finally unravelled when his own insatiable greed exposed his carefully constructed lies.
The 60-year-old's most audacious crime began when he manipulated his way into the life of Giles Knibbs, a Camelot employee working in the company's fraud detection unit. Putman initially met Knibbs while doing construction work on his parents' home, gradually exploiting their friendship to orchestrate one of the most cunning cons in National Lottery history.
The Sophisticated Lottery Scam
In 2009, Putman and Knibbs collaborated to create a forged lottery ticket, carefully designed to appear legitimate despite missing a crucial barcode. Astonishingly, Camelot accepted the counterfeit ticket as genuine, allowing Putman to claim the massive £2.5 million jackpot.
Putman waited until just days before the six-month deadline for claiming prizes expired before submitting his bogus ticket, claiming he had discovered it in his van. This timing raised few suspicions at the time, allowing the fraudster to begin an extravagant spending spree that would ultimately contribute to his downfall.
The convicted criminal immediately embarked on a life of luxury with his girlfriend Lita Stephens, replacing luxury vehicles at the slightest scratch and travelling first-class around the world. The pair were reported to have purchased properties in Florida and Malta, while Putman openly boasted about his newfound wealth to friends.
A Life of Violence and Abuse
Behind the flashy lifestyle lay a dark history of violence and sexual assault that spanned decades. Putman's criminal record includes a 1993 conviction for rape, indecent assault and perverting the course of justice, for which he served four years of his sentence at Northampton Crown Court.
His ex-partner Gail Vincent came forward with harrowing accounts of the abuse she endured during their 17-year relationship. She described Putman as 'a ticking timebomb' who subjected her to savage beatings and psychological torture that drove her to the brink of suicide.
In one particularly disturbing incident, Putman burned her children's pet rabbit and guinea pig alive and battered their puppy. The abuse reached its horrific climax when he raped Vincent while holding a knife to her throat, afterwards taunting her with the words: 'What does it feel like to be raped by a rapist?'
Vincent also claimed Putman pushed her downstairs when she was eight months pregnant, nearly killing their unborn child, and threatened to 'cut her up' in front of her three children. Although she reported the rape and constant beatings to police in 1998, she later withdrew her allegations under pressure from Putman's friends and was herself jailed for perverting the course of justice.
The Unravelling of the Fraud
Putman's carefully constructed world began to crumble in 2012 when his greed led him to commit benefit fraud while sitting on millions of stolen lottery money. He was jailed for nine months after claiming £13,000 in benefits, telling the Department for Work and Pensions he was borrowing money and selling possessions to make ends meet.
This criminal prosecution brought his lottery windfall into the public spotlight, setting in motion the investigation that would eventually expose his massive fraud. The case took a dramatic turn in 2015 when Giles Knibbs took his own life after confessing to family members that Putman had refused to hand over his share of the stolen money.
Police discovered detailed notes about the fraud scheme after Knibbs' suicide, launching an investigation that initially stalled when Camelot couldn't locate the original ticket. The case reopened in 2017 when the ticket was finally found, leading to Putman's conviction in 2019.
Putman was sentenced to nine years in prison for his role in the sophisticated fraud but was released last year under crisis plans designed to boost prison spaces. Prosecutors successfully applied to seize assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act, including an extra £240,000 from the sale of a £1.2 million home he purchased with his crooked cash in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire.
Despite these efforts, authorities have recovered only a fraction of the stolen millions. By 2023, Putman had paid back just £94,000 before his home was seized by prosecutors, leaving most of the £2.5 million still missing and his victims awaiting full justice.
