Share-Dealing Scandal Journalist's Plan to Teach Kids Value of Money Backfires

Anil Bhoyrul, a British business journalist previously involved in a share-tipping scandal, has revealed that his attempt to teach his children the value of money by sending them to school in Bolivia backfired.

Bhoyrul, 60, who carried out 180 hours of community service in 2006 for his role in the 'City Slickers' 'buy, tip, sell' scheme between 1999 and 2000, moved his family to Dubai. He and his wife, Branka, became concerned that their three children—Evita, Joe, and Savannah—were becoming "spoilt materialistic brats" in the affluent city.

Seeking an environment with less focus on material possessions, the couple chose Bolivia, one of South America's poorest countries, for their children's education. From 2018, the family lived in La Paz for two years, with the children traveling to school through the Amazon rainforest, immersing them in the natural world.

However, upon their return to Dubai after six years, Bhoyrul stated that his children quickly reverted to their previous consumerist habits. "They were meant to learn the value of money and not get carried away," Bhoyrul told the Daily Mail's Richard Eden. "It didn’t work. They came back after six years, and within ten seconds their view was, ‘I’ve done my time. Where’s the iPhone? We’re never going back”.'

He added that his teenage daughter Savannah, now 13, has developed a penchant for designer brands, stating, "She’s got all this designer gear."

Bhoyrul, who has published a new book titled "Men’s Guide to Pregnancy," reflected on the experience, admitting, "I wouldn’t advise parents to ship their kids off." The book chronicles the nine months leading up to the birth of his son, Joe. At the book launch in London, Savannah acknowledged reading only parts of her father's book, humorously noting she attended the event primarily to visit a popular coffee chain.

The 'City Slickers' scheme involved Bhoyrul and his former colleague James Hipwell buying shares in small 'dotcom' era companies before recommending them to Daily Mirror readers, subsequently selling their own holdings for profit when the share prices rose. Bhoyrul pleaded guilty to conspiracy to breach the Financial Services Act 1986 at Southwark Crown Court.