A statement from the Met said 58-year-old Maria Antonia Cameira, of Flood Street (Chelsea) was “found guilty of fraud by abuse of position, contrary to Section 4 of the Fraud Act 2006.”
On 18 October she was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in her absence.
Cameira, a Portuguese national, was the director of two law firms based in London, Cameira Law Ltd and CL@Cameira Legal Ltd.
The Met went on to say that in 2012, the victim instructed Cameira Law Ltd to act as conveyancer for the purchase of a flat.
“The victim paid £278,100 [over €312,000] into the client account of CL@Cameira Legal Ltd. However, the purchase of the flat did not take place and it was subsequently discovered that between May and August 2012 the money had been siphoned from the client account and used for other purposes”, the statement read.
Of that, £90,733 [approx. €101,000] is understood to have been used to pay debts to other people.
The remainder was transferred into business accounts and into the personal account of Cameira and was spent.
“Examination of the bank accounts showed that Cameira used the business accounts to fund a luxury lifestyle”, the Metropolitan police explained, adding “on 4 March Cameira was charged with fraud by abuse of position. The case was committed to Snaresbrook Crown Court where she pleaded not guilty and a trial date was set.”
The trial commenced on 10 October 2016 at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
Cameira failed to appear in court on the third day of the trial and it was quickly established that she had absconded to Lisbon. A UK warrant has been issued for her arrest.
The trial continued in the absence of Cameira and her defence team.
After a trial of eight days the jury unanimously found Cameira guilty of fraud and in her absence she was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment.
Officer in the case, DC John Schofield of the Criminal Finance Team, said: “Cameira abused her position of trust and authority and once she realised the net was closing in, fled the UK. Her victim deserves justice and we will continue to search for Cameira to ensure she serves her substantial custodial sentence.”
Anyone with any information about Cameira’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Met Police on (+44) (0) 207 230 1212 or Crimestoppers anonymously on (+44) 0800 555 111.