Glamorous conwoman is feared to have fled the country

A glamorous conwoman who led a lavish lifestyle after ripping off victims in an online property rental fraud is feared to have fled the country.

Police are hunting Leah Farley after she failed to turn up for sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday.

They fear the 29-year-old may have skipped the country and an international warrant has been issued for her arrest.

Detectives uncovered Farley, from Smethwick, West Midlands, as the ringleader of multiple scams involving rental properties and sales of electronic goods online.

Police are hunting Leah Farley after she failed to turn up for sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday

The thousands she made by defrauding others went on nights out, clothes and holidays abroad.

She was arrested in September 2015 and eventually pleaded guilty to her crimes in January 2017 after a lengthy investigation.

This led to the arrests of two accomplices Martie Verdie and Emran Meah, who were recruited by Farley to help her set up fake sales profiles on property rental websites.

She also manipulated friends, family and even a man with learning difficulties into having money paid into their bank accounts, telling them it was assisting her in receiving benefits for her children.

All three were charged in November 2016 with conspiring to commit fraud by false representation between October 2013 and October 2015.

On Tuesday Verdie, 26, from Smethwick, was jailed for four years and one month weeks after pleading guilty in January 2017.

Meah, 22, was fined £3,000 and ordered to carry out 240 hours unpaid work after a five day trial in September.

In sentencing Verdie and Meah, Judge Nicholls said: ‘Each of you became under the spell of Leah Farley who is a sophisticated fraudster.

‘She exploited the desperation of people in renting properties and exploiting their trust and naivety.’

Investigating officer DC Richard Potts said: ‘Farley spent years orchestrating and improving her scams.

‘The money went on nights out, clothes and holidays abroad which, without victims playing into her hands,she could not have obtained through receiving the benefits she was on alone.

‘I would encourage anyone wishing to rent properties or similarly making purchases online not to pay into unknown bank accounts without having verified who they are speaking to and are genuinely confident that the product they are purchasing is available.’ 

People who may have any information on Farley’s whereabouts should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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