Mark Richard George Acklom[1][2][3] (born 1973) is an English conman and fraudster who was on Britain's National Crime Agency's list of 10 most-wanted fugitives. His criminal career began at the age of 16 and he has been imprisoned five times in Spain since 1999. He was wanted by Avon & Somerset Police on suspicion of fraud by false representation.
Mark Acklom | |
|---|---|
| Born | Mark Richard George Acklom 1973 (age 50–51) |
| Education | Eastbourne College |
| Known for | Being a conman and fraudster |
| Spouse | Maria Yolanda Ros Rodriguez |
| Children | 2 |
Early life
editMark Acklom was born in Lambeth in London in 1973,[4] the oldest of four children. He was educated at Eastbourne College. He was first jailed in 1991 when he was sentenced to four years in a young offender institution for stealing his father's American Express card and posing as a stockbroker to commit a £1 million fraud that included obtaining a £446,168 mortgage on a house and hiring private jets.[5][6][7] He was described by the judge as "utterly selfish and completely ruthless".[6] His parents, who informed the police of their son's activities, moved to rented accommodation and sold their house in Bromley to raise money to help pay off his debts.[8] The events were the subject of an episode of Crime Limited in August 1993.[9]
Career
editAcklom has been imprisoned five times in Spain. He was wanted by Avon & Somerset Police on suspicion of fraud by false representation after he started a romantic relationship with a woman in 2012, telling her he was Mark Conway, a rich Swiss banker and MI6 agent. The woman lent him a total of £850,000 which has never been repaid.[10][11][12] His other aliases are alleged to include Marc Ros Rodriguez, George Kennedy and Zac Moss.[8]
In May 2017, he was reported to have been seen and photographed in a café in Switzerland with a man who could be wanted fugitive Costas Estevez.[13][14] Police seeking to detain Acklom under a European Arrest Warrant had previously been searching for him in Spain after he was released early from prison there before the warrant could be issued.[15][16]
Acklom was on the National Crime Agency's list of 10 most-wanted fugitives.[15] On 30 June 2018 Acklom was arrested at an apartment in Zürich[17] and after extradition in 2019 was set to face trial later that year.[18]
Acklom admitted fraud, relating to £850,000, acquired from a woman he targeted, at Bristol Crown Court in August 2019. He was sentenced to 5 years and 8 months and was the subject of a Sky documentary in 2019 – Conman: The Life and Crimes of Mark Acklom.[19][20][21][22]
Family
editAcklom is married to Maria Yolanda Ros Rodriguez who uses the aliases Yolianda Ross, Maria Long and Mary Moss. The couple have two daughters.[23]
References
edit- ^ Linham, Laura (2 June 2018). "Police hunt continues for wanted conman Mark Acklom". somersetlive.
- ^ Peracha, Qasim (6 September 2017). "Here are the faces of London's nine most wanted". getwestlondon.
- ^ Elvin, Laura; Cameron, Amanda (14 January 2018). "Fugitive accused of swindling Bath mum may have new identity". bathchronicle.
- ^ Mark Richard G Acklom. Family Search. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ "Schoolboy's £446,000 loan fraud", The Times, 5 July 1991, p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ a b "Teenage swindler given four years", Robin Young, The Times, 3 August 1991, p. 3. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Mark Acklom, Britain’s most wanted man, living it up in Switzerland. Neil Johnston, The Times, 14 September 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017. (subscription required)
- ^ a b Prolific conman Mark Acklom who began life of crime in Sussex on the run after allegedly defrauding lover of £850,000. Rachel Millard, The Argus, 22 October 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ "Choice", Peter Waymark, The Times, 5 August 1993, p. 39. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ Mark Acklom. National Crime Agency. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Woman claims 'MI6 lover' Mark Acklom defrauded her of £850k. BBC News, 5 January 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Britain’s Most Wanted Mark Acklom attempted to scam Marbella divorcee in MI6 con. Rob Horgan, The Olive Press, 27 November 2016. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ One of Britain's most wanted conmen spotted in Geneva. ITV News, 2 June 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Britain and Europe's most wanted men on the run together. Martin Brunt, Sky News, 13 September 2017. Retrieved 16 September 2017.
- ^ a b Suspected fraudster Mark Acklom evades capture after Geneva sighting. Martin Brunt, Sky News, 2 June 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ Alleged British fraudster Mark Acklom evades capture AGAIN in Geneva. Laurence Dollimore, The Olive Press, 2 June 2017. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
- ^ "'MI6 conman' Mark Acklom arrested in Switzerland". BBC News. 3 July 2018. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
- ^ "£750,000 fraud man denies charges". BBC. 25 March 2019.
- ^ "Conman: The life and crimes of Mark Acklom", YouTube documentary
- ^ Lumley, Sarah (7 August 2019). "Conman admits wooing divorcee by posing as spy and fleecing her out of £850,000". mirror. Retrieved 7 August 2019.
- ^ "Conman jailed for £300,000 fraud". BBC. 7 August 2019.
- ^ "Mark Acklom: Britain's most notorious conman 'may have suffered brain damage at birth', says mother". Sky News.
- ^ "Fugitive fraudster on run with family", Valentine Low, The Times, 24 October 2017, p. 19.