A fraudster who sold worthless investments to 222 people was ordered to pay back £1 million to his victims. 

Paul Seakens, 62, from Whitewebbs Road in Enfield, was jailed in 2021 for 13 years for fraudulent trading and converting criminal property. 

He was part of a criminal enterprise that used pressure sales tactics and cold calls to convince victims to purchase worthless carbon credits at inflated mark-ups.

These included elderly victims, some of whom were forced to remortgage or sell their homes due to the scam. 

Enfield Independent: The worthless investments were sold through Enviro Associates Ltd, of which Seakens was a company director. 

Now 222 of Seakens’ victims around the UK have been given a share of £1,037,948 that prosecutors from the Crown Prosecution Service helped recover. 

This came after he was warned that if he did not pay the money back within three months a further seven years would be added to his sentence. 

Around 28 of his victims died before receiving their share so their next of kin have been paid instead. 

The largest amount paid to a victim was £38,482, with the average compensation payout being £4,675.   

Portia Ragnauth, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Paul Seakens did untold damage to the lives of his victims, some of whom were old and frail. 

“We have made sure that he has paid his £1 million order in full following the sale of his pensions, a Rolex watch, along with money in a bank account from one of his fraudulent businesses, which has now been distributed to his victims.  

“He will continue to be monitored in case any new assets can be identified that would allow us to apply to the court to increase the value of his confiscation order.”