An ex-Harrods fashion consultant has been accused of swindling a charity out of £10,000 when she organised a Boxing gala but never donated the profits.
Nicole Elkabbas, 42, is due to be sentenced this week after she was found guilty of setting up a fraudulent GoFundMe page in 2018 where she claimed she had cancer and racked up £45,000 in donations.
It has now emerged Elkabbas faced further allegations linked to a boxing gala which she organised in 2017.
Elkabbas claimed the event raised more than £10,000 for Broadstairs Town Team and its project The Shed, a woodworking scheme for elderly people.
Nicole Elkabbas (pictured at Canterbury Crown Court in November), 42, is due to be sentenced this week after she was found guilty of setting up a fraudulent GoFundMe page in 2018 where she claimed she had cancer and racked up £45,000 in donations
A team spokesperson said they were approached by Elkabbas who wanted to nominate The Shed to be the recipient of donations made at the gala dinner.
But the organisation, based in St Peter’s, claims no funds have ever been received from the charity fundraising event.
She said: ‘Ms Elkabbas said the funds from the auction would be raised for the Shed.
‘The event went ahead and Ms Elkabbas publicised that she had raised £10,000 for the Shed. As a charity it is very disappointing to be promised funds and then not receive them.
‘The Shed is an important part of many people’s lives. Older people are often forgotten about and the Shed provides them with social interaction with other like-minded people who can work together on woodworking projects for the community.’
In her mitigation the mother, from Broadstairs in Kent, said she needed money for lifesaving treatment and was pictured lying in a hospital bed. But the photo was actually taken after a routine operation to remove her gallbladder
Police confirmed officers were notified in April 2019 of an allegation of fraud in May 2017 by a person already charged with fraud.
But no further action was taken amid the ongoing investigation as it was unlikely to change any possible sentence.
Det Sgt Marc Cananur said: ‘Details of the alleged offence were recorded.
Elkabbas faced further allegations linked to a boxing gala which she organised in 2017
‘But no further action was taken in light of the ongoing investigation as it was deemed disproportionate to carry out further inquiries when the new allegation was unlikely to have resulted in any differences to the level of sentence imposed on the suspect upon conviction.
‘A review of the suspect’s finances revealed there was also little prospect of the victim receiving any of the money that was reportedly owed to them.
‘The victim was encouraged to report the incident to Action Fraud and to consider taking alternative action to request compensation from the suspect.’
Elkabbas was convicted of fraud and possession of criminal property, namely charitable donations, in November and will be sentenced this week.
The jury returned majority verdicts of nine to one on two counts.
In her mitigation the mother, from Broadstairs in Kent, said she needed money for lifesaving treatment and was pictured lying in a hospital bed.
But the photo was actually taken after a routine operation to remove her gallbladder.
Police confirmed officers were notified in April 2019 of an allegation of fraud in May 2017 by a person already charged with fraud. Pictured, Elkabbas during her trial
The fraudster used the money to buy £4,000 worth of Premier League football tickets, feed her gambling addiction and splash out on hotels abroad.
She tricked well wishers into donating money by claiming she had ovarian cancer which came with surgery and gruelling chemotherapy.
In a GoFundMe page, she was described as a ‘loving mum’ who was ‘recently diagnosed’ and needed cash for lifesaving treatment.
But her deceit was unearthed after her consultant oncologist discovered the scam page called ‘Nicole Needs Our Help Treatment’.
She claimed the doctor, who gave Elkabbas the all-clear just weeks before, was in charge of her treatment.
Judge Mark Weekes referred to Elkabbas as a ‘fantasist’ and wanted to spread the message ‘far and wide’ that the allegations against the doctors were a deceitful make-believe.
He said she was convicted on ‘clear and compelling evidence’ and told her to expect jail when she is sentenced this week.