Ex-adviser jailed for Cambodian biofuel scam faces SFO action

A former financial adviser currently serving six years in a UK prison for his part in a collapsed biofuel investment scam, is facing further enforcement action by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) after missing the deadline to pay a confiscation order.

Ex-adviser jailed for Cambodian biofuel scam faces SFO action

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Stuart John Stone was sentenced to six years in prison in December 2014 after he was found guilty of two counts of bribery and one count of conspiring to provide false information.

The charges were in connection with the Sustainable AgroEnergy jatropha oil investment scheme, which invested in jatropha oil plantations in Cambodia.

The scheme, which attracted £23m ($28.7m, €26.8m) worth of investment via self-invested personal pension schemes (Sipps) went bust when the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) obtained a freezing order against the company in February 2012.

During the original trial, it was revealed that Stone took commissions of 65% as an adviser recommending investments in Cambodian jatropha oil plantations.

Last July, he was ordered to pay a confiscation order of £1.14m towards compensation for those who lost money from investing in Sustainable AgroEnergy. 

Stone was given until 28 January 2017 but has only paid £1.13m of the amount he owed. 

When contacted by International Adviser, a spokesperson confirmed that the SFO is “considering all available enforcement options” for the outstanding amount on the confiscation order.

Two others jailed

In 2014, two other men were sentenced alongside Stone, including Gary West, director and chief commercial officer at Sustainable AgroEnergy, who was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

James Whale, chief executive of subsidiary of Sustainable Growth Group, was sentenced to nine years

Cambodia conviction

Earlier this month, Gregg Fryett, chairman of Sustainable AgroEnergy was convicted of fraud and sentenced to eight years in prison by a Cambodian court.

He was found guilty of charges including fraud by aggravating circumstances, bribery and faking public documents. Fryett was also fined KHR10m ($2,413, £1,964, €2,311).

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