*Although still confirmed, the above date may change at short notice.
Small update Friday January 13th 2012
Derick M Coles, aka "Lord Harvey Coles", aka "Ben Brown"
Friday Jan 13th 2012:
All victims who are registered with the correct US authority dealing with Coles' case will be receiving regular email updates from them. If you are a victim and you are not receiving regular email updates from the US Secret Service please register yourself as soon as possible by sending an email containing a detailed explanation of your claim to the USSS <here>
You will not receive update emails from this web site.
Friday Dec 2nd:
A sentencing hearing has been set for Monday February 6th at Tampa Courtroom 13b, Sam S. Gibbons US Courthouse, 801 North Florida Avenue, Tampa Florida 33602. The hearing is to be heard by Judge James Whittemore.
Anyone is welcome to attend this proceeding, however unless you have received a subpoena, attendance is not required by the Court. If you intend to attend please check directly with the court shortly before as dates and times can change at short notice.
Wednesday Nov 2nd:
On Friday October 28th Derick Coles entered a plea agreement of GUILTY. It was officially submitted in federal court in Tampa on Wednesday Nov 2nd at 10am.
He pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud and one count of immigration fraud in connection with his scheme that ultimately defrauded his victims and the US government.
Why one count? All his victims have been counted in this plea agreement and for sentencing
purposes every dollar he stole from the victims and their families will count. The total is nearly $4 million dollars.
That one count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, and in the US system it would make no difference if he was charged one count or 20 counts, it is the total financial loss
that is taken into consideration at sentencing.
Having entered a plea of guilty Coles will not go to trial but straight to sentencing. A sentencing hearing will take place in the near future (date & time to follow).
Myself together with all of Coles' victims would like to thank the US Secret Service and the Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency (ICE) for their untiring efforts in bringing the case to this point. I would also like to thank 'others' that contributed information which was extremely helpful in keeping track of Coles' traveling whereabouts and the eventual location of his arrest close to Atlanta Georgia.
Wednesday May 18th:
At approximately 09:45 US East Coast time Wednesday May 18th 2011 agents from the US Secret Service arrested Derick Coles on multiple counts of wire fraud and mail fraud.
Each count of wire and mail fraud can attract a 20 year jail sentence.
The case is of course still ongoing and no doubt there will be many updates to come during the lengthy process, but at least the victims of his crimes can rejoice in the fact that the first major step towards his hopeful incarceration has taken place.
Monday May 23rd:
Being unable to raise cash bail of $35,000 Coles is still in his cell in Atlanta.
Thursday June 2nd:
Coles' wife Elizabeth (Née: Elizabeth Harvey) has now managed to raise the $35,000 cash deposit against the $250,000 surety bond needed to release him on bail. He is to be tagged and to remain at his home near Atlanta from where he may not leave without permission from the case officer.
In the USA bond funds are often retained and used for victim restitution, although it would not go far, we hope this will be the case with Coles.
Monday June 6th:
The Atlanta court has finished dealing with Coles. We await the date of his next hearing which will be in Tampa.
Thursday June 16th:
2pm Wednesday July 6th 2011 has been set as the time and date for Coles' arraignment in Tampa Florida. The hearing will take around 10 minutes during which Coles will be charged, and he will enter a plea.
The hearing will be open to the public and interested parties are welcome to attend.
The location is:
Sam M. Gibbons U.S. Courthouse, room 11
801 North Florida Avenue #2
Tampa, 33602-3800
Friday 7th October:
A continuance has reset the Status conference to November 4th 2011.
Jury Trial is now undetermined and will be December or later.
Friday 14th October:
Supreme Court civil hearing pertaining to Attorney Jack D King:
JASON, DERICK, REBECCA and ANDREW Coles
This is Derick Coles' family, sons and daughter. Via collusion they, his wife, and others may be implicated.
Jason Coles owns a company called 'JDC Consultancy' and another called '3dogsmarketing' dealing with visa business plans and other things to do with visa applications. We are concerned that the Coles may be planning to use this company to again invite clients to lodge funds with them for escrow purposes!
Links: www.jdcconsultancy.com and www.3dogsmarketing.com
Some other companies that Coles is or has been associated with are:
Connect Globally Inc
New Horizons Florida Investments
New Horizons Florida Publishing
New Horizons Global Developments
New Horizons Global Investments
T.E.A.M. USA Inc
Select Securities Ltd
Harvey Coles Bank Ltd
Most victims have posted on: www.RipOffReport.com
To see their individual 'Rip Off Report' click the links below:
$290,000 from a Leeds family (site author)
$200,000 from a Slough family
$200,000 from a Guildford family
$276,000 from a Sydney family
$405,000 from an Essex family
$522,000 from a Kissimmee family
$170,000 from a couple in Florida
$160,000 from a Kidderminster family
$150,000 from a London family
$125,000 from a Sarasota family
$530,000 from a Colchester family
$250,000 from a Sarasota family
$50,000 from a Nottingham family
$120,000 from a Camberley family
$77,000 from a Suffolk family
$100,000 from an Essex family
Deposits in Coles' so-called escrow account accumulated interest which also belongs to his clients. Claims against Coles for costs accrued in the pursuit of his apprehension together with the retention of attorneys to fight civil suit will also be made.
Total discovered by site author so far US $3,625,000.
If you are a victim of Coles' escrow scam
and wish to be on this list please:
<email me here>
Links to media articles and reports:
After his arrest:
Sarasota Herald Tribune May 29th 2011
Cherokee Ledger News Woodstock Georgia June 15th 2011
Sarasota Herald Tribune Nov 3rd 2011
Before his arrest:
Daily Express (link),Bradenton Herald (link)
Sarasota Herald Tribune (link)
Article from the Sunday Mirror
Article from the Lymington Times (PDF)
Second Lymington Times article (PDF)
Report from "Emigrate" Magazine (PDF)
Link to a letter from Coles' attorney
The Crime
Derick Coles owner of New Horizons Group, his UK and Sarasota Florida based visa application services company, is accused of stealing millions of dollars from his client's escrow funds. The money was systematically and illegally embezzled, we believe in a Ponzi style, two and a half years ago from his 'so-called' escrow bank account held with SunTrust Sarasota.
At no time were victims advised that the escrow agreements they signed were bogus or the account itself not a genuine secure or bonded escrow. The money had been lodged for the purposes of closing on businesses being purchased in the pursuit of EB-5 Green Cards and non-immigrant E2 visas to the USA. It is a requirement of the US embassy to have the business purchase funds in escrow before they will consider a visa application.
We will not rest until Derick Coles, together with all others who may be involved, have been dealt with by the authorities. Whatever the outcome of any investigation we still want our money back, we will not go away. Coles must not be allowed to pay his levy then eventually slip incognito into a life of luxury as we languish in relative poverty because of his wrongdoing.
The financial and psychological trauma caused by Coles has had a devastating effect on his victims and he needs to know that we will forever be baying at his door until we get our money back.
The Trail From Andorra to Northern Cyprus & Back To Atlanta
After fleeing the USA we believe that Coles visited the Principality of Andorra a well know tax haven between Spain and France. Andorra is somewhat difficult to reach so we can only assume he went there to open a bank account where he could hide some of the money he stole. He then showed up in Northern Cyprus a well known hiding place for fugitives because of its lack of extradition treaties.
Following the publication of an article in the English language periodical ‘Cyprus Today’ concerning Coles and his escrow crime we received verifiable information from a local source of the Coles’ address in Northern Cyprus.
'The team' flew out to get him on Friday the 27th of February 2009 only to find that once again only hours previously he had vacated the villa he had been sharing with his wife Elizabeth. Disappointed the team went back to the airport, checked in, and boarded their flight back to the UK.
David Farrow, one of 'the team', leaving his seat 3 hours into the flight to his amazement discovered Mr & Mrs Coles sat two rows behind him. As a UK police officer David liaised with the Captain who radioed forward to arrange a police reception, they boarded upon arrival and removed the Coles for questioning.
At that time a warrant for Coles’ arrest had not been issued so they were eventually released and made their way from the airport probably to, where they used to live before moving to the USA, the Lymington, Sway or Brockenhurst area of Hampshire to stay with relatives, friends or perhaps in a guesthouse.
We later received valuable information that led to them being questioned by the authorities upon their arival back in the US at Atlanta airport at 4pm on April 1st 2009. They were heading to stay at one of their son's home, Andrew or Jason who still live in the Atlanta area.
April 10th 2009: I was given a report that Coles and his wife Elizabeth were temporarily at their house at Conservation Court Sarasota. They more likely stayed at their daughter's condo at Admirals Walk before returning to Atlanta.
September 24th 2009: Having driven down from Atlanta with mother Elizabeth, daughter and son were spotted in a local restaurant. No doubt they stayed with daughter Rebecca at Admiral's Walk. Perhaps they had some business to do, or money to retrieve?
Some Pictures
Two tickets for a nice day out - on our money!
All smiles in the Cyprus sunshine - We bought them some groceries!
Above is a photograph of Derick Coles and his wife Elizabeth
being removed from flight BA 0663 at Heathrow 27th Feb 2009.
Mr & Mrs Coles with daughter Rebecca graduating from college early August 2009. Nice Jacket Derick!
Having devastated so many peoples lives with the theft of their money how can you still be smiling?
Balfour Mews, Mayfair, the Coles' London home.
7532 Conservation Court, Preserve at Heron Lake, Sarasota
Alleged Derick Coles' family home now being repossessed.
Lollygagging in Coles' bedroom.
Including the ICE mentioned earlier, victims may wish to report their loss to all three of the US authorities below:
The US Secret Service: (001) 813 227 2370:
<email the USSS>
REQUEST FOR INFORMATION:
We believe that Coles has bank accounts containing our stolen money. A victim of Coles has requested that I pass on the following information:
"A reward has been set aside and is offered as an incentive for someone to come forward and give information leading to the finding and securing of unknown deposits of money made by Derick Coles or other third parties".
Your details will remain confidential.
ALSO I have received reports alleging that Derick Coles was in the habit of bragging about affairs he was having with women who live in the Hampshire area of England and Sarasota Florida. I would like to identify the women so that they may be questioned regarding the missing stolen money.
If anyone has verifiable information please email me. You will remain anonymous.
Two names have now been reported and passed to the authorities. Many thanks.
We now have an email address for Coles: derickcoles@googlemail.com but don't expect to get a reply, particularly now he's banged up!
Also, Coles had retained the services of two Attorneys who probably don't represent him any more:
Attorney Nicolas P Sardelis
Sardelis and Bowles LLP
2033 Main Street, Suite 502
Sarasota, FL 34237
Tel: 941 366 1200
Email: info@sardelisandbowles.com
Their web site: www.sardelisandbowles.com
Mathew H Schwartz
Schwartz Law Group
2985 Gordy Parkway, Suite 550
Marietta, GA, 30066-3078
Tel: 678 401 2400
Email: matt@schwartzlawgroup.co
Being robbed of my life savings I am seeking a US attorney with the resources and conviction to pursue Coles and Others in a civil action for recovery on a pure contingency basis. Please contact me at the email address below:
I am happy to be compliant to any official request from any authority regarding information posted on this web site, please contact me via one of the email links and I will remove, or disseminate, any relevant information you wish.
Some PC's will not send emails from an HTML hyperlink if this happens to you simply copy and paste, or type directly, the following into the 'To' box of your email message:
terry.audiotex@btinternet.com