Heists, Scams & Lies
David Ames, a twice-bankrupt double-glazing salesman from Basildon, dreamed of building a Caribbean property empire. His company Harlequin promised ordinary investors luxury resort properties at bargain prices. Over nearly a decade, more than 8,000 people handed over £400 million, many betting their entire pension pots. Behind the slick marketing lay financial chaos and systematic deception, with money funding pirate ships and imported sand. This podcast tells the story of one of Britain's biggest investment frauds, featuring exclusive interviews with victims, investigators, and industry insiders.
Episodes
The Big Sell | Episode 1
A balmy evening in 2009. Steel drums, champagne, and celebrity endorsements. David Ames – a twice-bankrupt salesman from Essex – unveils his vision: Caribbean paradise resorts where ordinary people can own property for just £1,000. With backing from football legends, tennis stars, and property guru Phil Spencer, thousands of investors hand over life savings and pension pots. But who is David Ames?
Introducing... The Lost Caribbean Millions
David Ames was a twice-bankrupt double-glazing salesman from Basildon with dreams of building a Caribbean property empire. His company, Harlequin, promised ordinary investors luxury resort properties at bargain prices – their slice of paradise and financial security.Over nearly a decade, more than 8,000 people handed over £400 million. Many bet their entire pension pots on Ames' vision.But behind
The Hunt for Tamara Ecclestone's Diamonds | The Heist
In December 2019, international jewel thieves ransacked the home of Tamara Ecclestone and stole £2million worth of loot in the biggest burglary in British history. The thieves took every piece of jewellery Ecclestone owned, snatched her husband’s watches and desecrated their £75million mansion on Kensington’s Billionaire’s Row.Who were the thieves? How did they do it? In this episode, reporters G
Coming Soon... S1: The Hunt for Tamara Ecclestone's Diamonds
Coming soon... Heists, Scams & Lies, Series 1: The Hunt For Tamara Ecclestone's Diamonds. It was supposed to be impenetrable. A palatial home on London’s Billionaires’ Row, guarded round-the-clock by ex-military security, in one of the most heavily-patrolled streets in the country.And yet, on a cold night in December 2019, a group of audacious thieves pulled off the perfect burglary, slipping
