Fake
A picture associated with Ludgate Watches in 2017 shows a Rolex with seemingly authentic tags and paperwork.

Fake Rolex dealer who made over £650,000 in sales is fined only £28,000

An online trader of fake Rolexes has pleaded guilty to the offence at Lewes County Court.

Jamie Thorpe, trading under the name of Ludgate Watches, notched up sales of over £659,000 but was ordered to pay back only £28,000.

West Sussex County Times reported that Mr Thorpe was investigated by Trading Standards after a consumer complaint in December 2014, when a victim purchased a £2,425 Rolex watch from him via eBay.

The victim took the piece to a Rolex dealership, only to confirm his suspicion that the watch was a counterfeit.

Trading Standards took up the case and discovered that Ludgate Watches was peddling counterfeit watches and parts that were copies of Omega, other Swatch Group brands and Rolex items.

Computer files seized by authorities also showed that Mr Thorpe forged Rolex documents to make the pieces appear authentic.

Lewes County Court heard that Mr Thorpe had made a total of £659,043.20 from his illegal selling.

He was order to pay £28,000 plus a further £659.26 in compensation, because the court accepted that there were was little chance of a higher settlement because Mr Thorpe had no assets.

Mr Thorpe was given three months to pay, or else he will face a nine month prison sentence.

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