BALD-FACED LIAR’S £350K

Cheat fleeced couple & blew cash on new look

A BALDING conman fleeced an old couple with dementia out of their life savings which he used to fund a hair transplant.

Posing as a bank customer services adviser, Syed Bukhari,

38, tricked the pair – aged 81 and

80 – into parting with all their confidential details.

He used them to sell the couple’s home without their knowledge, pocketed the £200,000 proceeds and then took their £150,000 savings.

They believed he was “Gerry from the bank” and trying to help them.

By the time police unravelled the scam, the couple’s home near Preston, which they had lived in for 40 years, had been sold to a private company at a knockdown price.

Bukhari spent tens of thousands of pounds on cosmetic surgery to restore his receding hairline. One hair replacement op cost £10,000.

He flew business class to Dubai, blew £11,000 at a luxury hotel and treated himself to Rolex watches, designer clothes, jewellery and mobiles.

He was arrested when he flew back to Manchester Airport after inquiries revealed he had set up multiple bank accounts in the couple’s names, redirected their mail and tried to take out a £40,000 bank loan.

Bukhari was jailed for seven years and 11 months at Preston Crown Court after admitting fraud charges.

His victims’ family is fighting to get their property back.

Det Sgt Janette Bashall said: “Bukhari is a heartless liar who saw CON: After op. Left, before fit to take over the lives of an innocent, vulnerable elderly couple.

“They had worked hard to retire in some comfort yet he saw fit to destroy this by taking their home and hard-earned savings, defrauding them of in excess of £350,000, most of which has been spent.”