I was about to jump in front of a train - but I wanted my day in court
Victims left devastated by the sheer scale of the fraud. One lost over £650,000, another considered suicide
SOME OF Freddy David’s 55 victims have spoken of the shock and betrayal they felt after hearing full details of the crimes that fleeced investors of more than £14.5 million.
One, who lost over £650,000, said that he “was completely surprised because David had a good business. I didn’t think he’d be so stupid as to put it all at risk for the sake of gambling.”
The man, who wishes to remain anonymous, said that as well as losing a vast sum, he has lost his “belief in financial advisors which is a pity because one does need them.”
He said that he fully “trusted David as he knew he was earning good commissions and had been doing it for a long time. The trouble now is knowing who one can trust. David seemed a very religious man, but he didn’t have the ethics of someone who is religious.” Though he said David’s fraudulent behaviour “hasn’t affected my way of life, I understand that there are people who have been and are now destitute.
“I feel very sorry for them.”
He said he feels guilty that his daughter was also duped. “She’s very upset about it”, he said.
“I feel guilty because David convinced her to invest, he kept chasing her for the money by saying that her father — me — had invested and so she thought, if her father was all right with it, it was legitimate.”
He said he wants to see “tighter laws to prevent so many people losing so much money from gambling”.
One victim, who was in court for David’s sentencing, said that he had considered killing himself after learning that he had been duped out of £300,000.
Leon Winsky said in a statement read to the court: “My first thought was suicide but just as I was about to jump in front of a train I decided to face him in court instead”.
Mr Winsky lives in Wembley with his wife and his disabled son.
He said: “The money invested in Freddy David was eventually going to go towards a flat for my special needs son, Jonathan.
“We now only have two meals a day instead of three.
“For the time being we are managing to survive on my small pension.”
Another elderly victim who asked not to be named said: “I have suffered enough with the shock and betrayal of this evil man.
“Yes, to me he is evil — a thief, robber and liar and that is that.
“He has been rightly found guilty and I was disgusted to hear that the Shabbat before his appearance in Under arrest: An official police photograph of Freddy David
We now have two meals a day instead of three. We are surviving on my small pension’
Court this week, he had received an aliyah in his shul!”
The JC approached some of David’s other victims who told us they were too traumatised to speak.
Steven Wilson, United Synagogue chief executive, said: “Our hearts go out to the many victims of this despicable crime […]
“We are working with the Rabbis and the Honorary Officers of our Borehamwood and Elstree community in their efforts to support local victims.
“In addition, as many of the victims were members of United Syna-
gogue shuls, anyone affected is welcome to call our US Chesed department in confidence and will find a listening ear.”
But a daughter of one of David’s elderly victims slammed letters from David’s Elstree and Borehamwood shul as “a mockery, a disgrace.
“This ‘community’ needs to come together and help those who have been left crippled by David”.
I was disgusted to hear he had received an aliyah’