Mark Acklom, a notorious British fraudster, has been ordered to repay £125,000 after swindling his ex-girlfriend, Carolyn Woods, out of her life savings while impersonating an MI6 agent and Swiss banker. Acklom, 52, previously admitted to five counts of fraud and was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison in 2019.
For over five years, authorities have pursued recovery of the stolen funds under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA). On Friday, Bristol Crown Court ruled that Acklom, who now resides in Spain with his wife and children, must pay £125,000 or face an additional two years in prison if he fails to comply. Acklom attended the hearing via videolink but did not participate.
Prosecutor John Hardy KC revealed that Acklom profited approximately £710,000 from his crimes, although only £125,000 in recoverable assets were available. Judge Martin Picton praised the cooperation in reaching a resolution, emphasizing the significant financial and emotional harm suffered by Ms. Woods.
READ MORE: Praise for 94 travelling fans, team’s transformation and latest on possible departures - Cheltenham Town boss Steve Cotterill after Barrow win
READ MORE: Cheltenham 2026 Elections May Be Delayed Amid Council Reorganisation Plans
During their relationship, Acklom fabricated high-profile connections, claiming acquaintances with celebrities like Nicky Clarke and Chris Evans, conversations with Hillary Clinton, friendship with Karl Lagerfeld, and involvement in secret MI6 operations. He convinced Ms. Woods, despite already being married, to lend him £299,564 of her savings in 2012 for property renovations, a Porsche purchase, and renting a Georgian manor.
After fleeing the UK, Acklom was listed as one of Britain’s most wanted fugitives through Operation Captura—a collaboration involving the National Crime Agency and Crimestoppers aimed at capturing criminals abroad. He was eventually located in Switzerland, extradited back to Britain in 2019, and imprisoned. Acklom was later extradited to Spain in 2021, serving two more years before his release in 2023.
Acklom’s criminal history dates back to 1991 when, at age 16, he received a four-year sentence for a £466,000 mortgage fraud after impersonating a City stockbroker. His past offenses also include stealing his father’s credit card, defrauding a former teacher of £13,000, and accruing a £34,000 bill with a private charter jet company.