Scot claimed to be a friend of Clinton in £120k f ilm con
A SCOT who boasted of her friendship with Hillary Clinton in an attempt to fleece film-makers out of £120,000 for access to the politician’s doomed presidential campaign is facing jail.
Ann Leuser used a stooge to impersonate a member of Mrs Clinton’s campaign team to swindle British film-maker Alison Birley out of the cash.
The 56-year-old negotiated and signed a contract with the producer, saying she could offer behind the scenes access to the Democrat’s failed election drive in exchange for £120,000.
Their deal, which included four payments of £30,000, dishonestly stated that Leuser personally knew Mrs Clinton and other members of her campaign staff.
Leuser also managed to obtain an all-expenses paid trip to New York worth £3,434 as part of the scam, which was carried out between April 1, 2016, and January 31 this year.
She has since admitted she has never had any type of relationship with Mrs Clinton – who was beaten in the race to the White House by Donald Trump in November – aside from a brief encounter at an earlier event.
Miss Birley is a TV and film producer with production companies Bongo Films, Hawkstone Films, Make Waves Slaves and TBACT.
Leuser, from Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire, admitted two counts of fraud by false representation when she appeared at London’s Southwark Crown Court.
But in relation to the alleged agreement for £120,000, she claims she received no money from the ruse and that the first £30,000 would only have been paid once filming started.
Rebecca Nieto, defending, said: ‘She believed that she could get to America and she believed she could gain this behind-the-scenes access for this production.
‘The defendant says she was under the impression that it was only after filming started that she would receive the first tranche of money.
‘So, effectively, there would have
‘She believed she could gain access’
been no fraud there because she would have gained access by this point.’
Judge Stephen Dawson set a hearing for November 10 to hear further evidence and rule on Leuser’s account.
Leuser was bailed to appear at Inner London Crown Court on November 10. Earlier this week, a warrant had been issued for Leuser’s arrest after she failed to attend her trial.
Her defence solicitor said that Leuser had a ‘significant ongoing medical condition’ which meant she had to attend hospital on Monday.
But Peter Lancaster, prosecuting, told Inner London Crown Court: ‘If this is not dealt with in some way this will just go on and on.’
Leuser was said to be suffering from infections in her hand and leg which had previously prevented her from travelling to London.
The judge then issued a warrant for Leuser’s arrest, backed for bail so an investigating officer could travel north and take Leuser to the local police station.