Fraudster jailed after scamming London renters out of £77,000 | Crime

A man has been jailed for defrauding more than 30 people out of more than £77,000 in rent fraud, police said.

Frederic Priestley, 34, from Southwark, south-east London, advertised a fake rental property on Facebook between April and September last year.

He provided lease agreements to potential tenants and received deposits and rental payments even though he never owned the property and was not rented.

On Friday, Priestley was sentenced to two years and 11 months in prison at Inner London crown court for fraud by false representation.

The Metropolitan police said they received 34 separate reports from Action Fraud in September last year alleging Priestley had failed to honor leases for a flat in Southwark.

Police said that after receiving the payments, he contacted prospective tenants with various excuses as to why he could not fulfill his agreements, including saying there had been a death in the family.

Officers found significant payments totaling £77,400 were made to Priestley from victims during this period.

Amounts ranged from £800 to £2,000 under the guise of deposits and associated fees.

DC Abimbola Emiola, of the Met’s economic crime squad, said: “Priestley exploited people who were simply looking for somewhere to live, using convincing paperwork and false assurances to justify his scheme.

“This was not an isolated incident, but an ongoing scam that lasted for months, affected dozens of victims and caused significant financial and emotional distress.

“This sentence shows that we will go after those who misuse online platforms for fraudulent purposes.

“We encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim to report it as soon as possible.”

Cell phone analysis collected by officers supported the investigation, along with victim statements.

The defendant was arrested in October 2025 and pleaded guilty at a hearing at Croydon magistrates’ court in April.