James Bennett, 32, duped 17 victims who replied to his online advert for a room for rent into handing over hundreds of pounds each as a deposit.
When they came to move in, the victims discovered there was no room available and that Bennett had vanished with the money.
One victim, Alex Cavanagh, told Inner London crown court he had to sleep on his brother’s sofa for a month after the scam. He had given Bennett a £725 deposit for a room in a flat in Elephant and Castle, but on moving-in day he found the flat’s occupant had no idea the property was being used for fraud.
“He didn’t seem to know anything about it and he seemed to be just as angry as I was,” Mr Cavanagh said.
He had responded to Bennett’s advert on spareroom.com in October last year, looking around the flat before agreeing to rent the room.
Mr Cavanagh said Bennett had appeared “nice but a bit quirky” when they met, telling jurors: “I feel absolutely ridiculous for believing him.”
Another of Bennett’s victims, Max Stothert, confronted him in December last year after realising he had been conned. “My faith in him had completely evaporated, I thought he was trying to scam me,” he said. “He just gave excuse after excuse.”
Mr Stothert said he was left homeless over Christmas after the room failed to materialise and had to take out a loan to cover his lost £515 deposit.
Bennett, who claims to be a former City worker, confessed to fraud when arrested by police, admitting he had been “desperate” to clear his debts. “People will be paid back,” he said. “I should say sorry to them in person but I know how angry they must feel.”
However, Bennett fled when facing trial and was found guilty in his absence yesterday by a jury who deliberated for just five minutes. Recorder Julian Malins QC adjourned the sentencing hearing until Friday to give Bennett “one more chance to turn up”.
Bennett, who also went by the name John Thomas, used properties in Elephant and Castle, Walworth, Brixton and Tooting, raking in around £8,000 in fraudulently obtained deposits.
He pleaded not guilty in his absence to 17 charges of fraud in 2015 and 2016 but was convicted by a jury on all charges.
Anyone with information should contact police on 07747 765719 or via 101.
