A con artist who duped his victims out of £130,000 for dream kitchens and bathrooms he had no intention to supply was found guilty by Harrow Crown Court and fined almost £60,000.
He was brought to justice after an investigation by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards into more than 40 complaints across south-east London.
Harrow Crown Court ordered Adahm Seikh, 50, from Luton, to pay a £59,354 penalty and handed him a 98-week prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to carry out 150 hours of community service.
Seikh has offered to refund £76,000 to customers after he pleaded guilty to the offences.
Seikh operated under the names of Amazing Kitchens and Home Improvement World and touted for business in the foyers of various Tesco supermarkets.
The trickster had no intention of supplying any kitchens or bathrooms to his victims and when he failed to deliver, he is said to have offered excuses such as a warehouse flood and being hit on the head by a cricket ball.
Seikh is also said to have faked customer testimonials and threatened those of his victims who become suspicious.
Harrow councillor Varsha Parmar said of the scam: “This fraudster fleeced his victims and left them without an amazing kitchen or bathroom. He tried every trick in the book to deceive his customers and despicably had the audacity to intimidate and threaten them when they began to question him. He even stooped so low as to fake reviews for his business.
“Thanks to joint work from our Trading Standards officers and the national Trading Standards officers, Sheikh’s criminal venture has come to an end. This is what we do to rogue traders – we make sure they pay for their crime.”
Simon Legg, senior service manager at Brent and Harrow Trading Standards, said: “Mr Sheikh’s business activities have caused immense stress and heartache for all his victims. Many had paid large sums of money expecting their dream, fitted kitchen and instead, have received nothing but a string of excuses and disappointment. Some still do not have new kitchens and now don’t have enough money to pay for a replacement.”