A FRAUDSTER involved in a transatlantic tractor scam worth more than £130,000 has been jailed.

Augustin-Paul Ciceu, who referred to himself as ‘Gus’ during trade dealings, was running a transport firm which was initially approached to ship a tractor from Europe to Canada in March 2020.

Ciceu, from Dudley, then offered the legitimate Canadian purchaser two more tractors for sale and the transaction was agreed and the money was paid.

The 52-year-old claimed he’d wait to send all three tractors together, but he didn't send any farming equipment leaving for North America.

West Midlands Police discovered that they never left the country and Ciceu didn’t even own the tractors he was selling. The video he sent to the Canadian purchaser showed tractors belonging to someone else.

Ciceu, of High Street, was convicted of theft of the tractor which was never shipped.

He was also convicted of two counts of fraud by false representation in connection with the others he’d sold without owning.

West Midlands Police said Ciceu refused to give evidence in his trial and was sentenced to a year and nine months imprisonment at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Friday, November 8.

DC Ash Forster, who led the investigation, said: “Ciceu took advantage of what should have been a legitimate shipping transaction to trick the trader into purchasing tractors he didn’t even have to sell, and claimed it was a business transaction that was never completed.

“This was a complex investigation and we worked with the victim, who travelled over from Canada for the trial, to build a convincing case. We will leave no stone unturned to convict criminals.”