A fraudster who swindled a man out of more than half a million pounds is now facing prison after she failed to appear at court.
Essex Police have since launched an appeal to track down Carla Holman, 48, from Holland-on-Sea.
The police force's Serious Economic Crime Unit determined that Holman scammed her victim out of more than £500,000 between 2014 and 2018.
The 48-year-old used the swindled funds to pay for a nursing degree, rent and travel expenses.
Essex Police have since launched an appeal to track down Carla Holman, 48, from Holland-on-Sea
|ESSEX POLICE
Holman repeatedly lied to the man after telling him that she could repay her debts through an inheritance she was set to receive from a terminally-ill relative.
However, detectives from Essex Police established that no such family member existed and the defrauded cash had not been spent in the way the fraudster claimed.
After failing to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on September 10, Holman was found guilty on three counts of fraud.
A sentencing date has been set for October 24.
After failing to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court on September 10, Holman was found guilty on three counts of fraud
| PAEssex Police described the 48-year-old scammer as having a slim and petite build and having links to the Walton, Frinton and Clacton areas of the county, in addition to Dorset.
It is also believed that Holman is also known as Carla Skinner, Carla Dunn, and Carla O’Shea.
The police force have urged members of the public with any information of her whereabouts to contact them as soon as possible.
Detective Constable Paula Doyle said: “I want to praise the courage of the victim in this case for coming forward and telling us what happened.
CRIME - READ THE LATEST:
- Constance Marten and Mark Gordon sentenced to 14 years each in prison over daughter's death
- Met Police urged to give frontline officers guns after Leicester Square knife attack
- Met Police issue update on Madeleine McCann investigation
- Dozens of police injured after 'challenging day' during 'Unite the Kingdom' rally in central London
The police force have urged members of the public with any information of her whereabouts to contact them as soon as possible
|GETTY
“Carla Holman systematically and ruthlessly defrauded her victim by lying both about her personal circumstances and the death of her brother to extort money from him.
“By not turning up for her own trial, she has shown utter contempt, not only for the police and the courts, but for the victim whose life she has left utterly devastated.
“Anyone harbouring her is also committing criminal offences."
Between September 2023 and September 2024, Action Fraud found a 6.1 per cent increase in fraud offences in Greater Essex.
This figure represents 9,604 cases of fraud over the one-year period, an increase of 552 compared to the previous 12 months.
Essex residents were defrauded out of over £68.5million, with an average individual loss of £7,135.
However, authorities believe the true figure could be far higher due to victims feeling anxious about reporting the crimes.
According to Essex Police, many residents in the county fall victim to some level of fraud each month but do not report it.