BOGUS BANK CASE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 164, 14 July 1933, Page 6

BOGUS BANK CASE

MANY PEOPLE VICTIMISED ONE OF THE GREATEST FRAUDS. ; I [Per Press Association. J AUCKLAND, July 13. “His wa* one of the greatest frauds ever put across this country,’ ’ said Detective-Sergeant McHugh, at the Police Court, when Frederick Joseph Huddlestone, aged 25, a clerk, appeared on thirteen charges of imposing on : persons by falsely representing that certain sums of money were for fidelity bonds in the business of “J. Oppenheim and Co., bankers.” He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years’ hard labour. Sergeant McHugh said that accused, on. January 23, booked at the City Hotel as “J. Oppenheim,” and advertised for an accountant at £SOO, and a clerk at £330. He interviewed numerous men, engaged an office, and said the firm was opening in many towns. Many of the men gave up permanent , positions and paid him £4 17s 6d for . fidelity bonds. When his associates were arrested accused disappeared, but 1 was found at Waipawa under another . name and working on another scheme, j Sergeant McHugh also said that ] numerous tradesmen and working ( people had been victimised as goods ( had been obtained and work done . which had never been paid for. Hud- i diestone was no sooner out of gaoi than he was scheming to take others • down. He had defrauded people in • Hamilton and Pukekohe. He had no ; pity on young or old. They were all i the same to him. 1 Accused’s counsel said that he was a j married man with a wife and child, j and was unemployed when he devised < the scheme. The magistrate said he would be J kent out of the way for three years. 1