TRICKSTER BEATS ENGLISH BANK FOR £72,000

Grey River Argus, 24 March 1949, Page 7

TRICKSTER BEATS ENGLISH BANK FOR £72,000

LONDON. March 23

A Russian who was alleged to have engaged in “a confidence trick of the most fantastic dimensions,” was at Old Bailey to-day sentenced to four years’ penal servitude. The man, Abraham Barnett Kritz, aped 57, was found guilty of obtaining £72,000 by false pretences from the Midland Bank. At a previous hearing it was said that Kritz persuaded live people to give him unlimited use of their banking accounts. He presented their cheques at a branch of the Midland Bank and drew out money before they were cleared. He paid in money into the accounts to meet the cheques, presented more cheques and drew out more money, making use of the four or five days it took to clear the cheques. When the bank stopped the practice in 1946, his account had a turnover of more than £1,800,000 in the previous twelve months. It was stated in court that each of the five persons who allowed Kritz to use their banking accounts was now bankrupt.