Fake SAS Hero Accused Of £129K Swindle

"Charming": Fitt

A “charming” and “charismatic” fraudster, who boasted he was ex-SAS, stole and swindled £129,000 out of two girlfriends, a retired senior cop and a fourth investor in his non-existent security intelligence company, a court heard.

Mark Fitt, 43, convinced them he was Colonel in the British Army, having also served in the French Foreign Legion  and had lucrative contracts to work in world trouble-spots, the jury were told.

“I thought he was very charming, his voice was quite hypnotic and I trusted him as a nice character,” business analyst Hilary Davies, 57, told Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court.

She met Fitt, who is accused of stealing £33,690 from her, in a local Barnes pub in November, 2011 and admitted: “I was hoping it would be a relationship at one point.”

Fitt denies also stealing £45,874 from interior designer Tracey Saunders, 45, who said: “I was very worried about him, his stress levels and financial situation. I cared about him and wanted to help.”

While dating Ms Saunders Fitt was seeing policewoman Zoe Richardson and denies defrauding her housemate, retied Chief Superintendent Mark Veljovic, 59, of £30,000.

One witness told the court Fitt sported a regimental tie on Remembrance Sunday and proudly displayed nine service medals, some SAS, for service in Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I Trusted": Hilary Davies

Ms Davis explained: “He said he was orphaned and had no family life and it appeared quite hardcore, whatever he had been working in.

“He said he was a specialist with UK special forces and the UK security services.

“He was very persuasive and I felt empathy towards him. I still had funds in my limited company and felt I wanted to help him and felt that he was building up his future.”

Prosecutor Mr. Tim Starkey told the jury Fitt convinced his victims he had landed contracts for his company N49 Intelligence as an anti-piracy consultant in Somalia.

“He does have a military background, but it is limited to two years in the Army and a couple of years in the part-time TA.”

Work also supposedly took him to Togo and the Middle East as a counter-terrorism advisor for government agencies, the court was told, with Fitt a particular specialist in kidnapping and ransoms.

Ms Davies told the court their relationship revolved around meetings and conversations. When asked if it was a sexual relationship she replied: “Not very actively.”

Within weeks Fitt was asking her for cash to tide his business over. “He was a confident person and gave me the impression he had money in the past.

“I wanted to help him and he was very charismatic,” explained Ms Davies, who also paid Fitt’s rent and what she believed were flights to overseas business meetings.

She funded his non-existent speaking engagement at a London Expo after being impressed by his ‘Project Phoebe’ business plan.

“The revenue forecasts ran into several millions of pounds. This was dishonest and to persuade her and other people to give money,” added Mr. Starkey.

They were together around a year and Ms Davies added: “I believed always that he’d make good and pay me back otherwise it was like having a child always coming to the sweet shop for more sweets.

"I Cared": Tracey Saunders

“He did not want to have any contact with me at all and said: ‘I don’t owe you anything.’ I got really angered, I wanted my money.”

She bumped into Fitt at a local cafe in March, 2013. “He was with another woman and wanted to blank me.

“I was so angry I just spluttered out: ‘Where’s my money. I want my money back.’

“He said I was hassling him and that I was a stalker and he was going to call the police.”

Mr. Starkey told the jury Fitt dated Ms Saunders from September, 2012 to October, 2013. “He presented himself as someone in MI6 and a colonel in the Army.

“He said he was involved in operations in Syria to eliminate key people in the Asad regime and had experienced Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of his active service.”

Fitt began asking for money after claiming the Foreign Office cancelled one of his contracts, the court heard. 

Ms Saunders gave him £2,500 for a business trip to Nigeria; £5,000 for a trip to Somalia and also paid his utility bills and financed a three-week Thailand holiday for the couple.

In Knightsbridge’s Millennium Hotel Fitt told her the Somalia trip was going to be a six-month operation. “She felt upset and deceived.

“However he continued contacting her, asking for more money.” A further £2,200 was taken from Ms Saunders, who has only received a tenner in return.

£30,000: Mark Veljovic

They first met in a Barnes pub, with Fitt introducing himself as ‘Charlie’. “It was clear he had been very high up in the military, serving in the Middle East and Africa in security work.”

She said Fitt also told her he was in the intelligence service and ex-French foreign Legion. “He said the British government just pulled a contract, leaving him in dire financial circumstances.”

The designer also financed one Nigeria business trip only to find Fitt in another Barnes pub. “I was very upset and confused.”

The ladies man, who the trial heard dated at least three other women at differing times, told Ms Saunders another trip she was financing was suddenly a six-month operation.

“I was completely lived, shocked and confused and ended the relationship and he was concerned because he needed the final part of the money.

“He was begging me to pay the final instalment or the trip would be cancelled and I’d have no chance of getting my money.”

The jury were told Fitt produced false business plans to convince retired police officer Mr. Veljovic his company would received a retainer of up to £300,000 per quarter from insurance underwriters.

He even falsely claimed his company was endorsed by the former head of the Met’s kidnap and hostage unit.

“He spent Mr. Veljovic’s investment on a year’s rent,” added Mr. Starkey.

Fitt introduced himself in a local pub as a Colonel to the retired police officer. “He said he was working on government contracts in the Middle East with other senior military leaders.

“He said he won a contract for kidnap response services and I had no reason to doubt his capabilities, given his links to senior military figures.”

Fitt, of James Terrace, Mortlake has pleaded not guilty to stealing £33,690 from Ms Davies; £45,874 from Ms Saunders; £19,570 from Oliver Tonkin and defrauding Mr. Veljovic of £30,000 between November 24, 2011 and March 14, 2014.

Trial continues………