An Australian duo, Laila Andre and Evelyn Burton, meticulously crafted an illusion of wealth and influence to infiltrate British high society, even securing a meeting with Queen Elizabeth II. Their sophisticated deception, however, was built on a foundation of fraud, ultimately leading to their downfall and prison sentences.
In 1997, Andre and Burton, posing as affluent horse enthusiasts, engaged in conversation with the Queen at the Royal Windsor Horse Show. They discussed purchasing a country estate, a ruse that involved promising a substantial sponsorship of £170,000, which ultimately bounced. This encounter with royalty was just one facet of their elaborate scheme, which saw them spending lavishly in London, staying at upscale hotels, and driving a gold Rolls-Royce.
Before their arrival in Britain in late 1996, the couple ran a string of brothels in Melbourne. Andre also operated as a dominatrix under the name Madame Xaviera, catering to a wealthy clientele. In Australia, Burton had established a finance company, Leveraged Equity Investments International, promising loans in exchange for upfront fees, but reportedly never delivering the loans to borrowers.
Facing scrutiny from Australian authorities over alleged fraud, the pair relocated to the United States before settling in London. There, Burton presented herself as a successful banker with lucrative investments in a company called Westgate Development Corporation, promising returns of up to 25% per month to those who invested. Many, including Andre, believed her claims, drawn into a circle of elite equestrian enthusiasts. Burton pursued this interest with fervor, attending events like the Olympia Horse Show and the Arab Horse Show, while Andre managed their social appearances and property searches.
The couple's unchecked spending eventually caught up with them. Their unpaid bills mounted at hotels, including the Berkeley, where they accumulated a debt equivalent to around £65,000 in today's currency. They eventually moved to Sopwell House in Hertfordshire, where, after allegedly being lured from their room by a fire alarm, they were denied re-entry and left behind a briefcase containing crucial financial documents.
These papers attracted the attention of a former fraud squad detective, Jim Frost, who was called to the hotel. His investigation revealed a pattern of defrauded investors who had received no returns. While Frost built his case, Andre and Burton fled, eventually traveling across Europe before boarding a flight to New Zealand.
In Auckland, Andre resumed her work as Madame Xaviera. Meanwhile, Burton, posing again as an investment broker, persuaded an acquaintance to part with a significant sum of money. This time, the victim alerted the police, leading to their arrest in February 1999. Both women were extradited to Britain in January 2000 to face charges.
At Wood Green Crown Court in January 2001, Burton was sentenced to five years in prison on 95 counts of fraud and conspiracy, with the judge describing the fraud as 'well-planned and executed.' Andre received a sentence of three years and eight months after pleading guilty to charges including retaining a wrongful credit and evading liability by deception, a decision she stated was made on the advice of her barrister due to fear of a harsher sentence.
After serving her sentence, Andre was deported to Australia in late 2001, with Burton joining her two years later. Andre cared for Burton, who developed dementia in 2010, until her death in 2020. Andre, now 77, continues to maintain that Burton was the architect of their schemes, and she was merely an adoring companion.
Their story is now the subject of a podcast titled 'Royal Swindle.'