A CONVICTED fraudster has been ordered to repay nearly £19,000 to his victims.

Nathan Smith, also known as David Jones who previously lived in Leigh was sentenced to 15 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and money laundering charges in January 2013.

Smith, who now lives in Whitefield, used his substantial IT knowledge to set up and advertise fake internet companies in order to steal credit card details.

He would then use the card details to buy electrical goods and holidays to sell on to unsuspecting victims.

Smith, aged 25, then laundered the profits from his criminal offences by paying money into the government’s Deposit Protection Scheme (DPS) before refunding the cash back into his own accounts.

He was arrested at his former home address on Scott Wharf, Leigh, following an investigation by officers in Wigan.

On Monday, April 7, a Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation at Liverpool Crown Court heard how Smith had benefitted by £42,167.19 from his criminality and was ordered to pay back £18, 915.29 within six months.

If Smith does not meet the repayment criteria he will serve six months in prison and his assets, such as high value electrical goods, a Vauxhall Vectra and cash held in a DPS landlord account will be seized to satisfy the order.

Financial investigator Frances Shedwick said: “Those who think they can profit from their criminal activities and get away with it should think again.

“We have again proven that a criminal investigation is not the end of a matter and we will conduct thorough financial investigations into those who benefit from crime to take their assets and return money to the victims.”