Man forged PSG contract to scam in-laws of £1.8m

Edward Blackmore failed to pay back millions of pounds in loans

A man has been jailed after faking a contract with the football club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to scam his in-laws and a finance company out of £3.4m.

Edward Blackmore, from Holt, Wiltshire, used the "contract" to secure an interest-free loan of £1.8m from his in-laws to purchase a Grade II-listed house in Widcombe, Bath, but then never repaid them.

He was jailed for six years and eight months at Swindon Crown Court on Friday.

Blackmore's mother-in-law said she still struggled to "comprehend the utter betrayal" of "this grandiose narcissist".

"My husband has worked hard his entire working life and we had plans for our retirement.

"We had dreams of 'our time' – travelling the world together, treating our children and grandchildren, and making memories.

"Mr Blackmore has denied us of this," she added.

Blackmore faked a document purporting to be a services contract with Paris Saint-Germain

In August 2018, Blackmore claimed his company OGC Sport Investments had agreed a multi-million-pound services contract with the French Ligue 1 football club PSG, forging the stamp and signature of a lawyer.

As well as conning his in-laws, Blackmore used the faked document to take out a short-term £1.68m bridging loan from a commercial loan company.

He also forged his then wife's signature on a tenancy agreement to purchase the Bath house.

Blackmore defaulted on the loan to his family numerous times, giving a string of excuses, as well as defaulting on the loan with the finance company after paying back just £76,000.

He, his wife and their young children were subsequently evicted from the house, which was then sold to repay the finance company's loan.

'Trail of destruction'

Blackmore's in-laws reported him to Action Fraud, which then referred the case to Wiltshire Police.

He was charged and pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud by false representation: two relating to claims against his in-laws and one against the finance company.

In a victim personal statement, Blackmore's mother-in-law said he had left a "trail of destruction", adding: "Mr Blackmore's deception has had a profound effect on our entire family."

She added: "Emotionally, my trust has been broken and I feel totally betrayed by this grandiose narcissist.

"Mr Blackmore's total lack of remorse, respect, explanation or apology is simply incomprehensible to us, and totally unacceptable."

'Calculated betrayal'

His wife, who has filed for divorce, said: "When I exchanged wedding vows, I believed I was entering a partnership built on trust, honesty and mutual respect.

"Instead, I became the victim of a calculated betrayal that has shattered my life.

"The financial damage has been devastating. Before I got married, I had two properties of my own, I had savings, and I was financially stable.

"Today, I am a single mum working full time, living in rented accommodation, with no savings, trying to make ends meet."

She added that their children were "silent victims" whose home was taken away from them.

Det Con Rachael Fairbairn of Wiltshire Police's Complex Fraud Team said: "The lies from Blackmore were seemingly endless.

"His actions have taken a significant toll on the victims. I hope today's sentence can bring a sense of closure for them and they can start to rebuild their lives."

Confiscation proceedings have begun in an attempt to secure compensation.