A conman who cheated unemployed people out of money with the promise of a high profile chauffeur job transporting celebrities has been handed a three year jail sentence this week.

43-year-old Mark Shortland advertised his fake chauffeur jobs on well known job websites such as Jobcentre Plus. In total 80 people were duped by the fraudster who tricked the innocent job seekers with promises of luxury cars and company perks.

Shortland, who claimed to be an airline pilot to his female victims, made an estimated £100,000 from the scam. After holding interviews across the country in Liverpool, Luton, Manchester and Castle Donnington, the trickster asked the successful applicants for a £100 retainer as a deposit for the keys of the top of the range car they’d be driving.

One victim described how Shortland, who has 18 previous convictions for dishonesty, told her that she’d receive three custom made suits as her chauffeur’s uniform, a mobile phone, and a fuel card as part of the employment package. Shortland informed the job seekers that they would earn up to £30,000 a year and could expect to chauffeur high profile names such as Simon Cowell.

Judge Alan Gioldsack described Shortland’s crime as “the most wicked of frauds” as many of the people who’d been promised jobs had been unemployed for a long time and had pinned all of their hopes on the chauffeur position which didn’t exist.

Mark Shortland, originally from Sheffield, will serve 3 years in prison for his crimes.