Russian mafia after conman who duped $15m from families
A CONMAN accused of duping Victorian families out of up to $15 million has gone into hiding from ruthless Russian mafia figures.
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A CONMAN accused of duping Victorian families out of up to $15 million has gone into hiding from ruthless Russian mafia figures.
The so-called entrepreneur, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has ripped off mum and dad investors through a series of dodgy property developments.
But in a dramatic twist, the mysterious shyster — known as The Phantom — is now being pursued by dangerous Russians.
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Sources told the Herald Sun the businessman borrowed money from Melbourne-based Russian organised criminals and failed to repay it.
This prompted two men to fly in from Russia in recent weeks to talk to the businessman about his debt.
They turned up some of his regular haunts looking to retrieve the money.
One source said the pair — described as “heavy-looking dudes in puffer jackets” — arrived at The Phantom’s office but he had already vanished.
The Phantom is also said to have borrowed a seven-figure sum from another shadowy businessman with links to the Hells Angels bikie gang.
Victims of his investment schemes are believed to be considering engaging Melbourne gangland figures who specialise in recovering money from unwilling debtors.
One source said The Phantom sank low enough to take advantage of the illness of an associate’s young son.
In an effort to get sympathy, The Phantom copied a photo of the child in hospital from social media then told potential investors that it was his child.
“He’s a little weasel,” the source said.
Those who have fallen for his deceit say The Phantom is a charismatic enigma with no personal bank accounts or driving licences.
Many of his victims have invested money in property developments for which they never had a chance of getting a return.
Some have lost their retirement nest eggs and homes after sinking in big sums.
One, who dropped more than $300,000 on an off-the-plan scheme, then found himself being hounded for extortionate high-interest repayments to a banned interstate securities firm.
That man said The Phantom was charming and convincing and utterly unethical.
“He’s semiliterate but he has that charismatic way of getting people to part with their money,” the victim said.
“I am truly convinced he is a psychopath in the clinical sense of the word.”