The fraudster, who told people he was linked to Chelsea as a player and coach, wanted to live the life of a professional footballer.
Abdul Ibraheem defrauded a retired accountant of more than £340,000, renting an £8,000-a-month house in Potters Bar and converting it into a footballer-style residence.
Ibraheem, 36, had a room in his house dedicated to his collection of trainers.
He bought a £3,000 marble kitchen island shortly before he was arrested by police from the South East Regional Organized Crime Control Unit (Serok).
Abdul Ibrahim sentenced to 5 years and 1 month in prison (Image: Sussex Police)
When police arrived with a search warrant, there was only one rose in his wine cellar.
Ibraheem, also known as Adam, was sentenced to more than five years in prison at Lewis Crown Court in Brighton on Wednesday.
The scammer stole money from West Sussex pensioner Alan Potter.
The 84-year-old was tricked into handing over more than £340,000 to Mr Ibraheem, including £200,000 in cash collected from his home via courier.
Mr Ibraheem, a father-of-two, told Mr Potter, 84, that in 2022 he would be able to recover the £1.8 million he had already lost in the fraud case.
£8,000 a month home in Potters Bar (Image: Sussex News and Photos)
Mr Potter, his grandfather, signed over control of his bank accounts and cards to Mr Ibraheem, who used his money to pay for a family holiday in Greece and a first class flight to Ibiza. .
After joining Knightsbridge's exclusive private members' club, Mr Ibraheem, of Tolmer's Road, Potters Bar, sought to set up a wealth management company.
Judge Jeremy Gold KC said Ibraheem had earned Potter's trust.
“My conclusion is that you are an experienced and convincing fraudster,” the judge said.
Prosecutor Nicholas Mather said Ibraheem was a habitual and cynical fraudster.
Mather described Ibraheem as someone who “takes advantage of vulnerabilities due to personal or financial circumstances and uses them to extract money from people in a practical and professional manner.”
He said: “The defendant was aware that Mr Potter had been a victim of fraud before and used the money extracted from Mr Potter to fund his own lavish lifestyle.''
“He did not accept money to give to others.”
Potter said Ibraheem is well-spoken and sounds like he has a college education.
“I thought everything he said was convincing and believable,” Ms Potter said in her victim statement.
“When I fully understood his activities and his lifestyle of living off my money, I was embarrassed.”
Mr Potter said he lost confidence in his decision-making after being deceived by Mr Ibrahim.
Mr Potter said: “This money could have covered my retirement. I may have to sell my house.”
Ibraheem, who also claims to have played for Gillingham FC, pleaded guilty to nine counts of fraud, with two remaining on his record.
Ibraheem was sentenced to a total of 61 months in prison.
He will be remanded in custody for half a period and then released on licence.
Officers from the South East Regional Organized Crime Unit urged anyone who may have been a victim of Ibraheem to come forward.
