Rob Horgan
A ROGUE trader exposed by a BBC watchdog has vowed to ‘shut up shop’ in Spain following an Olive Press expose.
Russell Lloyd – who is behind findmyspanishhome.com and home-search-Spain.com – will close both companies in the ‘next four or five weeks’ as his past has come to light.
Lloyd is banned from being a company director by UK Trading Standards for breaches in health and safety regulations.
He has also featured on BBC watchdog show X-Ray after pressurising elderly people into giving him cash for building work he then failed to do.
But despite accepting his ‘past has caught up’ with him, he is adamant he was trying to earn honest money in Spain through his property portal.
“My history has come back to bite me in the a***,” Lloyd told the Olive Press. “I am not a saint but I have always had the best intentions.
“I don’t know who was out to get me but someone was warning people about me. Maybe it was competition, maybe it was someone else.”
He added: “I came to Spain hoping to earn honest cash, unfortunately that has all gone now. I haven’t earnt anything and don’t know where to turn next. Maybe I’ll try and get a job in a supermarket.”
Lloyd said there are currently no ‘paid-for’ properties on his portals and that no refunds will be necessary.
Despite his claims he is running an honest business, several readers have contacted the Olive Press over his ‘shady dealings’ since our story in the last issue.
One 68-year-old woman from London claims he offered her a 20% stake in his business in return for €150,000 investment.
“At first he came across as a loveable chap,” the British pensioner told the Olive Press. “He was a bit flash, drove around in a white Mercedes but was very charming.
“When he asked me to invest, I was told I would be sorted for money for the rest of my life.”
She added: “He had grand plans of taking the company to Dubai and then worldwide.”
Lloyd denied ever offering such a deal when contacted by the Olive Press and said he would never hassle pensioners for investment.
