Ex-Bankrupt Denies Emptying Parents' Bank Accounts

Denials: Giuseppe Masella

A former bankrupt businessman looted his dead mother’s bank accounts of £48,000 before targeting his octogenarian father’s £33,000 savings, a court heard.

Giuseppe Masella, 48, of St. Dunstan’s Road, Hammersmith emptied his mother’s account just three weeks after her death, leaving only £10 for his father, the jury were told.

Two years later he opened an internet account in his father Antonio’s name without permission and in two weeks drained it of cash, say the prosecution.

Masella has pleaded not guilty to two counts of fraud; two counts of acquiring criminal property and one count of transferring criminal property regarding his mother’s account in March, 2015.

He also denies two count’s of fraud and one of acquiring criminal property and transferring criminal property regarding his father’s account between February and June, 2017.

Prosecutor Mr. Tyrone Silcott told Isleworth Crown Court today: “In 2015 and 2017 this defendant took money out of his parents’ accounts without permission.”

Masella’s mother Anna, who had three sons, died on March 5, 2015.

Tenner Left: Antonio Masella

“By March 28 all of her savings, apart from £10, had been transferred out of her account,” said the prosecutor.

“In December of that year Antonio went to the Nationwide so he could share the money amongst his three sons, including Giuseppe who is the oldest, but found it had all gone, save that £10.

“All of those transfers had been made by this defendant and all of them were made dishonestly.

“The defendant and his family moved in with Antonio after the death of Anna. He had previously been made bankrupt, but this was lifted in 2015.

“A new Nationwide online account in his father’s name was opened in 2017, which the prosecution say is a fake account and Antonio will tell you someone else opened it.

“That was a fake account set up online to syphon money away from his father.

“The defendant has dishonestly moved money out of his parents’ accounts to his own by making dishonest false representations to the bank.”

Trial continues………….