TOWIE and CBB star Lewis Bloor has denied duping 50 victims in an alleged £3million diamond scam.
The 29-year-old, has been accused of plotting to defraud investors into buying the coloured gems, knowing they were not a "legitimate investment opportunity".
Bloor, who attended Southwark Crown Court, wearing a navy suit and blue shirt, pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to defraud.
Joseph Jordan, 26, Simon Akbari, 25, Max Potter, 23, George Walters, 27, and Nathan Wilson, 25, also denied conspiracy to defraud.
Simon Akbari, 25, faces the same charge but is yet to enter a plea.
It is alleged they plotted together between May 2013 and June 2014 "to defraud investors by dishonestly marketing and selling coloured diamonds for investment purposes, knowing those diamonds did not represent a legitimate investment opportunity".
Jordon, alongside a sixth man, Danny Chappell, 52, also denied possession of criminal property.
The allegation is that they also "entered into or became concerned in the arrangement with others, namely by seeking money for allegedly completing renovation works knowing or suspecting that this arrangement would facilitate the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property, as no such renovation had been or could have been undertaken."
Bloor joined the cast of Towie for its tenth series in 2013 and spent three years on the show where he shared romances with co-stars Chloe Lewis and Kate Wright.
He left to appear in Celebrity Big Brother in 2016 and got together with Marnie Simpson while in the house.
MOST READ UK NEWS
FAMILY'S FURY 
Monster gave Angel a life sentence but he'll be out in two years, say family
Thug who left girlfriend 'unable to walk or talk' poses with huge knife
Gran, 49, detained after grandson, 5, stabbed to death as family pay tribute
Ex-Spurs ace Chris Armstrong faces jail after PUNCHING Tesco worker over fags
Bloor, of Buckhurst Hill, Essex, Jordan, of Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, Potter, of Enfield, north London, Walters, of Beckenham, south London, and Wilson, of Brentwood, Essex, are all charged with conspiracy to defraud.
Akbari, of Loughton, Essex, is also charged conspiracy to defraud.
Chappell, of Bexleyheath, Kent, and Jordan, also deny being concerned in possession of control criminal property between 27 May 2014 and 31 May 2014.
Judge Deborah Taylor fixed the fraud trial for 1 September next year.
Source: Read Full Article
