Southend striker Nile Ranger admits to online banking fraud
Wednesday 11 January 2017 17:43, UK
Southend striker Nile Ranger has admitted an online banking fraud in which a woman lost more than £2,000.
The 25-year-old appeared at Wood Green Crown Court accused of conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering alongside Reanne Morgan, 18, and Aseany Duncan, 19, both from Enfield, north London.
Ranger pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud - namely that on February 18, 2015, when he conspired with persons unknown to defraud Diane Bloss by obtaining her personal online banking details and transferring by way of an online transaction £2,090.23 from a HSBC account to a Santander account.
Ranger pleaded not guilty to a second count of money laundering, with prosecutor Catherine Rabaiotti telling the court the charge will lie on file.
Morgan and Duncan pleaded not guilty to the same two counts. Duncan is also accused of possessing an article for use in fraud, namely a mobile phone containing the personal banking information of 500 people, which he pleaded not guilty to.
Ranger, from north London, has played for Newcastle and England U19s, moving to Southend United in 2012.
Requesting a pre-sentence report for Ranger, Angus Bunyan, defending, told the court: "He is 25 years old and although he has some previous convictions, the only serious one was 10 years ago or more."
Morgan and Duncan will appear at the same court for the trial beginning on April 24. Ranger will be sentenced after the trial.
