Woman Accused Of Conning Bank President Sir George Mallinckrodt On His Doorstep

A young woman, accused of an audacious fraud on the president of Schroders merchant bank, Sir George Mallinckrodt, who handed over £74,000 worth of jewellery and lost £6,000 in cash, appeared for the first time at Hammersmith Magistrates Court yesterday.

Miranda Trudy Elmakhzangy, 20, of Dunstable Road, Caddington, Luton, is accused of posing as a police officer and conning Sir George, 84 and his wife Charmaine, 79, into handing over the valuables on the doorstep of their Chelsea home.

She is charged that on April 7 at Chelsea Square, Chelsea she stole various items of jewellery and bank cards worth £80,000 belonging to the elderly couple and was bailed to appear at Isleworth Crown Court on October 28 after making no indication as to plea.

Prosecutor Mr. Richard Doolan described the couple as "vulnerable" and suffered the loss after receiving a phone call by somebody purporting to be a police officer.

Sir George is the former president of Schroders, an independent merchant bank, which has offices in twenty-seven countries, managing £271.5 billion.

German-born Sir George has an honorary knighthood and his full name is Georg Wilhelm von Mallinckrodt.

He married Charmaine Schroder, sister of Bruno Schroder, the great-great-grandson of the bank's co-founder John Henry Schroder, in 1958, after joining the company four years earlier in New York.

He moved to London in 1960 and became director in 1977, serving as chairman from December 1984 until May 1995 and later as president.

Sir George played a leading role in the Bank of England's attempt to save Barings.

Elmakhzangy is also charged with driving a 1.8 litre silver Mercedes in Sharpenhoe Road, Streatley, Bedforshire on July 8 without insurance and obstructing a PC Cundell at Dunstable Police Station on the same day.

She was bailed on condition she signs-on at Luton Police Station on Monday's and Thursday's, notifies any change of address to police and does not contact Sir George or Charmaine.

Deputy District Judge Caroline Jackson told her: "You clearly know where they live and who they are. If you contact them you will be arrested and your bail taken away."