January 17th 2024.
Ashley Singh and Sophie Bruyea were recently convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation over the course of a year, from January 2022 to January 2023. The couple's scheme involved targeting gym-goers and stealing their bank cards to fund their lavish lifestyle.
One of Singh's victims, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed their disappointment in the short three-year sentence given to the 39-year-old. They believed it to be far too lenient, especially considering that Singh had already been arrested for the same scam back in 2019. The victim stated, "This is just what he does."
Singh and Bruyea, who is only 20 years old, specifically targeted 18 individuals while they were working out at gyms across London and the southeast. They would then use the stolen credit cards to fund extravagant trips to places like Dubai and the Amalfi Coast in Italy. The couple also indulged in designer shopping sprees and even bought a pedigree puppy.
On social media, Bruyea's Facebook page showed off their luxurious lifestyle, with photos of them lounging by pools, driving fancy cars, and even standing in front of an aquarium at the famous Burj Al Arab hotel in Dubai.
The judge in the case recognized the impact of the couple's actions on their victims, many of whom were professionals no longer feeling safe around strangers. Singh and Bruyea, both from Bromley in south London, were ultimately found guilty of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.
Singh was sentenced to three years in prison, while Bruyea received a suspended sentence of 20 months at a young offenders' institute. One of Singh's victims, who had no idea their gym locker had been raided until they received numerous banking notifications on their phone, shared their experience with The Sun. They said, "They took the money from my accounts and then returned to the gym and put the three debit cards back in my locker before my class had finished. They kept two of my credit cards to go out shopping and spent just under £9,000 in the Apple store."
In total, the couple stole over £10,000, with another £9,500 worth of transactions being declined. It was also revealed in court that Singh had previously been sentenced to six and a half years for the same type of fraud in 2019. The couple's modus operandi involved breaking into gym lockers and stealing bank cards, as well as replacing SIM cards in victims' phones to gain access to their accounts.
Their stolen funds were used to support a lavish lifestyle, filled with expensive purchases such as Rolex watches, jewelry, designer clothing, and electronics. The unnamed office worker, who was targeted in the most recent scam, shared their thoughts on the sentence, saying, "I'm really surprised by the sentence, which just feels very light when you take into consideration he has done this before. Bruyea is just a young girl who might have a chance of turning her life around, but Singh is clearly someone who does this almost for a living. I don't think there's any chance a short sentence of three years will deter him."
The victims of Singh and Bruyea's crimes not only had money drained from their accounts, but also had to deal with the stress and financial loss caused by the couple's actions. Detective Constable Luis Martins Da Silva, from the Metropolitan Police's economic crime team, emphasized the seriousness of theft and the impact it has on its victims. He stated, "You couldn't fail to be moved by the devastating impact their callous behavior had on people, and we hope that by catching them this offers victims a little bit of solace. I would urge anyone who has had something stolen to get in touch because we do want to drive down this crime and go after those who target the public." The authorities are also looking into seizing the proceeds of the couple's crimes to compensate their victims.
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