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Mon, 27 Jul 2026

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 Cash recovered from ex-Nasa scientist turned scammer

John Burford was jailed in 2025 after taking more than £1m from his victims.

* John Burford, a former Nasa scientist, has been ordered to pay £655,951.40 after defrauding investors out of over £1m.
* The money will be used to return most of the stolen funds directly to the 70 known victims, with an estimated 99% of the original investment being returned.
* Burford was sentenced to two years in prison and had his assets confiscated as part of a confiscation order obtained by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
* The FCA said that Burford repeatedly misled investors about fund performance, concealed losses, and used their money for personal gain.
* The regulator added that clawing back stolen money from fraudsters sends a clear message that crime doesn't pay.