The Southwark Crown Court hearing on Wednesday concluded with Judge Martin Griffith delivering a five‑year‑six‑month term after Gillingham pleaded guilty to fraud, money‑laundering and perverting the course of justice. The judge described the operation as a “£1 million fraud” that relied on constantly recruiting fresh investors to keep earlier investors placated.
Between June 2015 and October 2016, Gillingham’s companies – Choice Option and Blue Crest Capital Options – used cold‑calls in which brokers introduced themselves as fictional personalities, most famously Harvey Specter from the US legal drama *Suits* and Jonathan Hart from the classic series *Hart to Hart*. Victims were promised guaranteed monthly returns of 0.5 % to 5 % and a profit after twelve months, but none of the money was ever invested in legitimate trading.
More than 60 investors handed over a total of over £1 million, with the largest single loss recorded at £133,900. Individual victims recounted losses of £35,000, £45,000 and smaller sums, saying the scheme had set their lives back years. While a minority received modest “dividend” payments, no one recovered the full amount they had put in.
Prosecutors said the cash was instead used to fund staff salaries, office overheads and payouts to earlier investors – classic Ponzi mechanics. Approximately £650,000 went to pay staff, including more than £200,000 to Gillingham himself and over £70,000 to Sujanthan Sotheeswaran, described by the judge as Gillingham’s “lieutenant”. Around £170,000 covered office costs, while £167,681 was paid out as supposed dividends.
The companies tried to appear respectable by listing prestigious London addresses such as Canary Wharf and the Gherkin. Investigators found the Canary Wharf address was merely a mail‑forwarding service and the Gherkin location consisted of a single leased desk.
Gillingham fled the UK in 2016, living in Singapore where he was later convicted of an assault charge. He was deported back to Britain in August 2025 and was arrested at Heathrow Airport on his return. He attempted to secure bail with a forged tenancy agreement, but the court rejected the request.
Three of his co‑defendants had already been sentenced in 2024: Sujanthan Sotheeswaran received three years, Denis Deegan two years and eight months, and Darren Peck was given a 21‑month suspended sentence. City of London Police financial investigator Hayley Wade said Gillingham was the “driving force behind a sophisticated investment fraud that caused significant financial losses to victims”.
The Crown Prosecution Service said it will now pursue the recovery of any remaining criminal assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act, with the aim of passing any recovered funds back to the victims.