Four convicted of laundering £500,000 in doorstep frauds across Surrey, Essex & London
They targeted the elderly & vulnerable
An investigation into doorstep frauds targeting elderly and vulnerable homeowners has led to guilty verdicts for money laundering at Guildford Crown Court.
Between February and September 2019, fraudsters operated across Surrey, Essex and London, pressuring victims to part with large sums for unnecessary or poorly executed building work. Victims were falsely told urgent repairs were needed and payments were demanded for cranes and scaffolding that were neither provided nor required.
While those directly carrying out the doorstep frauds were not identified, investigators uncovered a network of individuals laundering the stolen money. Lee Cross, a 54-year-old originally from Romford, was found to be central to the operation. Cross managed multiple business bank accounts under trading names such as A-Z Repairs, enabling fraudsters to funnel criminal proceeds, move funds quickly between accounts, and withdraw large sums of cash.
Cross was found guilty on all counts of money laundering and fraud following a trial that lasted 28 sitting days from 22nd September to 13th November. He, along with three others, was accused of laundering £500,000 linked to frauds recorded across seven households.
he jury returned the following verdicts after deliberating for several days:
Lee Cross, 54 years old, from Romford – Guilty on all major counts of money laundering and fraud
Sorisa Richardson, 45 years old, from Romford – Guilty on one count
Zoe Hoskyn, 40 years old, from Hornchurch – Guilty on five counts
Pauline Walker, 70 years old, from Romford – Guilty on four counts, not guilty on one count
Lewis Richardson, 25 years old, from Romford, and Richard Griffiths, 40 years old, from Romford – Not guilty on all counts
Jason Walker, 35 years old, from Blackburn, who was originally charged, did not attend the first hearing and will be dealt with separately.
All convicted individuals will be sentenced in February, with Cross remanded in custody until then.
Following the verdicts, Kevin Deanus, Cabinet Member for Surrey Fire and Rescue Service and Resilience, praised the investigation:
“Doorstep fraudsters target the most vulnerable in our communities. These prosecutions send a clear message, and we will continue to pursue those who profit from such crimes and protect residents from harm.
“I’d like to thank the Trading Standards team involved with this investigation for their diligent work. This case demonstrates the strength of our investigation and partnership working, which lead this complex case to a successful prosecution.”
Surrey Trading Standards issued advice for dealing with uninvited doorstep callers:
Avoid talking to callers if possible
Do not agree to anything immediately; take time to make decisions
By law, agreements for work must come with written notice of a 14-day cooling-off period
Always get quotes from other businesses
Never pay cash directly on your doorstep
Further guidance on hiring reputable traders and avoiding scams is available on the official Surrey County Council Trading Standards webpage. Find out more at Surrey County Council Trading Standards.