A high-profile court case has brought three fraudsters to justice after a sophisticated wine investment scam stripped 41 victims of over £6 million. For more than a decade, Benjamin Cazaly, Gregory Assemakis, and Dominic D’Sa operated under the guise of a prestigious international wine merchant, but behind the polished brochures and fake media endorsements was nothing more than a London-based call centre. Using relentless cold-calling, fabricated identities, and manipulative sales tactics, they convinced mostly elderly investors to part with their savings, inflating wine prices by up to 400% and pocketing the profits. Hertfordshire Trading Standards’ investigation revealed that a staggering £37 million flowed through the company’s accounts before the 2018 raid that exposed their operation.
This elaborate fraud not only drained victims financially but also left deep emotional scars. Many were persuaded to invest based on trust and passion for fine wines, only to discover they had been misled from the start. Authorities commended the bravery of those who stepped forward, helping to secure the convictions. The case serves as a critical reminder to remain vigilant against too-good-to-be-true investment offers and to verify credentials before committing funds.