Have you ever wondered if music pays? Well, if you are Drizzy Drake, the answer is definitely yes. If you are X Factor star Nathan Fagan-Gayle, who you may know as Starboy Nathan, the answer is apparently no.
Fagan-Gayle, who reached the judges’ house round in the X Factor’s ninth series, and went on to have Top 40 hits with “Diamonds” and “Come Into My Room”, is currently on trial at the Old Bailey for his role in a fraud case, in which a 73 year old woman was conned out of £130,000.
Of that money, the ex-star is alleged to have received £20,000 into his bank account, of which £5,000 was for him. At the time, there was reportedly only 18p in his account. You know it’s peak when you can’t front a Freddo.
Nathan withdrew £15,000 from various ATMs in Lewisham, Sydenham and Crofton Park over the course of a month. With his cut of the money, he flew to LA, and also (surprise surprise) spent substantial amounts in Foot Locker and hiring a car in the US.
Prosecuting lawyer Kevin Dent said, “This was a fraud that could not have worked without Mr Fagan-Gayle being a knowing and willing member, somebody who knew he was receiving proceeds of fraud.”
The jury heard that pensioner Elizabeth Curtis was contacted by a man pretending to be a policeman in May 2014, warning her (how ironic) that she was the victim of a scam by insiders in a bank, and persuading her to transfer huge sums out of her account to keep it safe.
Fagan-Gayle denies all charges.