A father and son from Halifax have been jailed for their role in conning innocent elderly victims out of hundreds of thousands of pounds.
The group, which was based in Nottinghamshire, persuaded people to put their homes into a “worthless trust” to protect them from future care costs.
Joseph Croft, 53 of Lincolnshire, got a four-and-a-half year term while father and son Alan and Matthew Appleyard, of Halifax, were jailed for four years.
Five other men were handed lesser sentences earlier this week.
The gang used scare stories to pressure pensioners into paying £2,000 for a “Family Prosperity Trust” or an “Estate Preservation Trust”.
Victims were told their assets would be protected if they later went into local authority care, which was not the case, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Trading Standards told the city’s crown court.
“A despicable act”
In two years, the gang netted more than £500,000.
A great grandmother, who was victim to the gang, said stress had contributed to her husband’s death.
Sentencing the trio, Judge Andrew Hamilton said: “It was a despicable act, preying on the most vulnerable members of the community. People like you… who prey on people like that… are people of the worst kind.”