UK conman gets 5 years for 'selling' Ritz hotel

[July 28, 2010]  LONDON (AP) -- An unemployed British truck driver has been sentenced to five years in jail for trying to sell the world famous Ritz hotel for 250 million pounds ($380 million) to a duped investor.

Anthony Lee was convicted earlier this month for tricking potential buyer Terence Collins to hand over a million pounds in 2006 ($1.6 million today).

The 49-year-old Lee claimed he was a close friend and associate of Frederick and David Barclay, the billionaire brothers who own the central London hotel.

But the Barclay brothers had never heard of Lee and were unaware he was claiming to be able to sell the hotel. The sale never happened and the money was never returned.

Judge Stephen Robbins described the case as an "elaborate and outrageous scam" Tuesday as he sentenced Lee.

[Associated Press]

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