Ill Gotten Gains

Today's episode highlights the work of one clever con-woman, Claire Miller. She conned an estimated 17,000 men into parting with money to join an escort agency she claimed to have set up. Police decided to seize her large collection of shoes and handbags from brands such as Chanel, Louboutin and Jimmy Choo, and sell them all off at a Proceeds of Crime auction.

The programme also looks at the case of love rat Matthew Samuels, who conned five women out of their savings whilst pretending to be interested in romancing them. A Proceeds of Crime investigation by West Murcia Police discovered that he spent the money he had conned on buying expensive cars, and subsequently they were all auctioned off and the proceeds given back to his victims.

We also see how Chesterfield Canal Trust has benefitted from criminals' money, receiving £20,000 to build a new narrow boat. They had already received funding to regenerate their local canal and now have a new boat which is available for pleasure trips and is a positive use of money seized back from criminals.