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A woman who ripped off a widow of nearly £150,000 has blamed her dead partner for being the brains behind the scam.
Fraudster Rosie Grewal, 42, talked the victim into handing over the money promising it would be invested in a flat in Greenhithe.
But now a judge at Maidstone Crown Court has heard it was a ploy and the con-artist then "fobbed off" the woman with excuses for three years.
Grewal, now of Hoo, blamed the fraud on her partner Mahminderjit Mahi who died during the police investigation.
Her barrister Stella Harris said Grewal believed the scheme to invest in a flat in Hibernia Court initially was honest but realised soon afterwards that it wasn’t.
The victim was told that she would receive an income from the rent of the property but never saw a penny.
Hours before going on trial Grewal changed her pleas to guilty to two frauds, against victim Patricia Makcewicz for £130,000 and £18,000 between 2012 and 2015.
Ms Harris claimed Grewal’s husband was an alcoholic who kept control over her. “It was a chaotic existence, “ she added.
In an earlier trial, in which the KM was not allowed to report until now, Grewal had conned others into handing over money for houses owned by Bellway Homes.
Prosecutor Christopher Prior told the jury: “She persuaded people that she had some connection to a development by Bellway Homes.
“She took deposits claiming she could reserve a plot for them at a discount. In fact, she had no such connection to the company and the would-be buyers had no claim over the plots.”
One victim, Kyle Grobler was tricked into handing over £1000 for property at St Clements Lake, Greenhithe.
The jury heard how a text message, which purported to be a receipt from Bellways Homes, was doctored.
Grewal would later claim it was her partner – known as ‘Min’ – who had told her she was authorised to sell plots – the jury rejected her claims and convicted her of the frauds.
Judge Charles Macdonald QC has adjourned sentence until May for probation reports but told Grewal she faced an immediate jail sentence.
The judge lifted an order prohibiting the KM Group from reporting the earlier trial when Grewal was found guilty of three other frauds.
He was asked to keep the order in place after Ms Harris said Grewal received threatening messages.
But Judge MacDonald – who heard a recording of one of the messages said they were “disgusting and unpleasant” – but ruled the KM could now report proceedings.
Grewal also faces a financial investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act, in an effort to recoup the missing money.
Read more: All the latest news from Medway
CLARIFICATION: An earlier version of this article stated Mahminderjit Mahi was the husband of Rosie Grewal. He was in fact her partner and never married to her.
