A FORMER Tetney man, who admitted his role in a £42,515 con targeting the elderly and vulnerable, must pay back £3,000 or face jail.
Former Tollbar student Sam Routh, 26, pleaded guilty to eight counts of fraud, committed while working for mobility aids provider ABM Mobility, which later changed its name, first to Virgo and then to Lifestyle.
As reported, Routh's role in the con was exposed on national TV show Rogue Traders.
The firm's owners, Amarjit and Ranjit Gill, of Nottingham, pleaded guilty to 25 counts of fraud – each relating to a customer complaint the firm had either refused to honour refunds or that they had paid for products that never arrived.
Leicester Crown Court heard that fellow staff member David Messom, 27, of Nottingham, who, like Routh, was employed as a manager with the firm, had also pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud.
In December last year, Routh was jailed for nine months, suspended for two years and ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.
However, at a proceeds of crime hearing at Derby Crown Court on Thursday, he was told to repay £3,000 within six months or face three months in prison.
Amarjit Gill was said to have made £141,000 and was ordered to pay back £90,000 within six months, or face 21 months in prison.
Ranjit Gill was ordered to pay back £80,000 under the same terms.
Councillor Kevin Parkinson, Derbyshire County Council Cabinet member for regeneration, said: "We were determined to claw back as much of the Gills' illegal gains as possible and I'm satisfied with the outcome of our action.
"This was one of the longest and most complicated cases ever undertaken by our trading standards team which worked very closely with officers from Derbyshire Constabulary.
"Using the Proceeds Of Crime hearing means we can ensure that they don't benefit from the money they made illegally. And, while it will not make up for the suffering of their victims, I am delighted that those who gave evidence to help us bring the Gills to justice will receive compensation."
Detective Sergeant Craig Hughes, of Derbyshire Constabulary's proceeds of crime investigation team, said: "These criminals ran a sophisticated scheme which targeted vulnerable, elderly people and conned them out of their money.
"Their sales representatives used shameful high-pressure selling techniques to persuade victims to sign up for products at hugely inflated prices – many of which never materialised.
"This case is an example of how police and trading standards have worked together to get justice for the victims."
