Made in Chelsea star Victoria Baker-Harber has said that she will “continue to stand by” her fiancé and gallery owner Inigo Philbrick after he was sentenced to jail for fraud for seven years.
The 33 year old appeared weeping in the US Southern District Court this week, according to reports, as she attended in support of her man and father of her baby daughter Gaia Grace as he was given the sentence for his crimes.
Inigo, 34, conducted a multi-million pound scam through his Mayfair art gallery by conning investors out of $86 million after repeatedly selling valuable paintings to different buyers, which have been said to have included the Saudi Royal family.
The British art gallery owner has been in MDC prison in Brooklyn, New York, for two years after he was arrested in 2020 on the Pacific island of Vanuatu, where he fled to avoid court hearings.
Inigo's sentence was handed down on Monday, and Victoria has vowed to keep supporting him as she told The Sun: “I’ve stood by him and will continue to do so.
“Inigo is the best person I know and his biggest problem was saying no and not wanting to let people down – so he tried to find solutions.”
Victoria and Inigo began their relationship in 2017, months after he ended his romance with art dealer Fran Mancini — with whom he also shares a child. He then disappeared in October 2019, reports Tatler.
He was arrested when Victoria was five months pregnant, in July 2020. She gave birth in November the same year.
The TV star dismissed rumours that they are no longer together as a result of his time in prison, calling them “bulls***”, however she added that Inigo has yet to meet their daughter as she has refused to bring Gaia Grace to the Brooklyn prison where he has been held.
“She doesn’t know she doesn’t have a father yet,” Victoria continued.
“[Inigo] is in there with a guy on a quadruple homicide charge in his cell.
“I dread the day I have to start explaining things to her.”
The MIC star was seen locking eyes with her fiancé in court on Monday ahead of his sentencing, reports The Sun, before she broke down completely, sobbing for a few moments before she eventually composed herself.
Before hearing the verdict, Inigo spoke in of his “remorse and sorrow for the damage that I have caused” and shared his regret over being “unable to support” his daughter, which he said has caused him “by far the most anguish I have ever experienced”.
Inigo was then taken to jail — but not before he was seen blowing Victoria a kiss and whispering to her, as she responded back with a wave goodbye.
“I have barely slept," she said after the verdict. "It’s been a really traumatising 24 hours and I’m just numb. Still processing.”
With good behaviour, Inigo could possibly have his seven-year sentence reduced to two and a half years.
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