Current timestamp: 19/07/2025 09:05:17
AgeAlertAnonymousAppealsApplicationsApply Or RegisterArea OutlineArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow UpAutomatic DoorsBack ArrowBusinessCalendarCashArrow DownArrow LeftArrow RightArrow Down[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-chrome' for 'English (United Kingdom)']ClockCloseContactDirectionsDocumentDownloadDrawDrugExpandExternal LinkFacebookFb CommentFb LikeFiletype DefaultFiletype DocFiletype PdfFiletype PptFiletype XlsFinance[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-firefox' for 'English (United Kingdom)']First AidFlickrFraudGive FeedbackGlobeGuide DogHealthHearing ImpairedInduction LoopInfoInstagramIntercom[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-internet-explorer' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LaptopLiftLinkedinLocal Activity[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-location' for 'English (United Kingdom)']LoudspeakerLow CounterMailMapMap PinMembershipMenuMenu 2[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-microsoft-edge' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Missing PeopleMobility ImpairmentNationalityNorth PointerOne Mile RadiusOverviewPagesPaper PlaneParkingPdfPhonePinterestPlayPushchairRefreshReportRequestRestart[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-rotate-clockwise' for 'English (United Kingdom)']Rss[Missing text '/SvgIcons/Symbols/Titles/icon-safari' for 'English (United Kingdom)']SearchShareSign LanguageSnapchatStart AgainStatsStats And Prevention AdviceStopSubscribeTargetTattosTell Us AboutTickTumblrTwenty Four HoursTwitter LikeTwitter ReplyTwitter RetweetUploadVisually ImpairedWhatsappWheelchairWheelchair AssistedWheelchair ParkingWheelchair RampWheelchair WcYoutubeZoom InZoom Out

Leave this site

Cookies

We use some essential cookies to make our website work. We’d like to set additional cookies so we can remember your preferences and understand how you use our site.

You can manage your preferences and cookie settings at any time by clicking on “Customise Cookies” below. For more information on how we use cookies, please see our Cookies notice.

Accept cookies Reject cookies Customise cookies

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can update your cookie settings at any time on the cookies page.

Your cookie preferences have been saved. You can update your cookie settings at any time on the cookies page.

Sorry, there was a technical problem. Please try again.

Skip to main content

Skip to main navigation

Welcome

This site is a beta, which means it's a work in progress and we'll be adding more to it over the next few weeks. Your feedback helps us make things better, so please let us know what you think.

Show me the site

Go to City of London Police homepage

  • Back to Report

    • Crime
    • Road traffic incident
    • Report antisocial behaviour
    • Report a missing person
    • Fraud
    • Spiking
    • Lost or found property
    • Lost or stolen vehicles
    • Hate crime
  • Back to Tell us about

    • Tell us about possible terrorist activity
    • How to tell us about something you've seen or heard
    • An existing case or report
    • A procession or event you are planning
  • Back to Apply or register

    • Careers and volunteering
    • Charity collection licences
    • Compensation for victims of crime
    • Firearm, shotgun or explosives certificate
    • Attend a misconduct hearing
  • Back to Request

    • A collision report
    • Intellectual property (IP) licence
    • Compensation for something the police have done
    • Request your fingerprints
    • Information: about the police, about yourself or someone else
  • Back to Thanks and complaints

    • Feedback about the website
    • Complaints
    • Say thanks
  • Your area
  1. ...
  2. News

Man jailed for multi-million international foreign exchange investment scam

Main article content

Fraud
Published: 13:33 19/10/2020

A man responsible for a £20.5 million investment scam has been jailed, following an investigation by the City of London Police.

Joseph Lewis, 65, of Thearne Lane, Yorkshire, was sentenced to 5 years and 4 months in prison at Southwark Crown Court on Friday 16 October 2020. He had previously pleaded guilty to 19 counts of fraud by false representation at a hearing in September 2020.

Lewis had been running his fraudulent investment scheme for a decade, persuading clients from across the globe to invest large amounts of money into foreign exchange trading, and keeping the money for himself.

Shortly after emailing his clients in December 2014 and telling them he had not been trading with their investments since 2009, Lewis phoned the police and admitted what he had done. He was arrested by City of London Police officers on 29 April 2015.

Detective Sergeant Lee Nelson, from the City of London Police’s Economic Crime Department, said:

“Lewis is an extremely manipulative and dishonest man. He knew his victims were investing money to save towards retirement or to make a better life for their young family, and instead he used their money to fund his own extravagant lifestyle. He also used their funds to put on lavish events and meetings across the world.

“I can’t even begin to describe the devastating impact this has had on people’s lives, many of whom will never be able to recover financially and psychologically. Lewis has destroyed marriages, family bonds and friendships, as these fraudulent investments often came from peer-to-peer recommendations.

“It has taken six years to get to this point, after a complex and challenging investigation, and I hope that the sentence passed down to Lewis will leave him with nothing but time in jail to reflect on his deceitful and greedy actions.”

Clients of Joe Lewis Trading were sent monthly reports, showing their investments doing exceptionally well. This encouraged victims to either invest more money, or recommend the scheme to friends or family, generating more funds for Lewis. City of London Police later found that the monthly reports were fabricated.

As early as 2012, some of Lewis’ clients requested the withdrawal of their money, but were met with delays and ultimately a failure to return the funds. He only returned the money to investors who threatened legal action.

Lewis only admitted to investors their funds were gone when he had used all of the money he had fraudulently obtained and was no longer receiving payments from current, or new, clients.

Share

Footer navigation

City of London Police

  • Contact us
  • About us
  • Careers
  • Become a police constable
  • News
  • Find a police station
  • Campaigns
  • Privacy Notice
  • Cookies
  • Terms and conditions

Information and services

  • Advice and information
  • Crime prevention advice
  • Stats and data
  • Accessing information
  • Report
  • Tell us about
  • Apply or register
  • Request
  • Feedback

Partners

  • Police.uk
  • Ask the Police
  • City of London Corporation

Follow us on:

© Copyright 2025. All rights reserved.