A 56-year-old American woman has been jailed for 40 months after conning Northern Ireland clients out of an estimated £135,000 through a fraudulent investment scheme.
Marianne Smyth, a US citizen, was sentenced at Downpatrick Crown Court on Friday, October 17, after being found guilty last month of three counts of fraud by abuse of position and three counts of theft.
Smyth had been held in custody since February 2024, when she was arrested by US law enforcement officers in Maine under an extradition warrant. She was returned to Northern Ireland in July 2024 to face trial.
The court heard that Smyth worked as a mortgage advisor in Northern Ireland between 2005 and 2009, during which time she persuaded clients to invest large sums of money — investments she never actually made.
At first, Smyth attempted to keep up the illusion by paying supposed “dividends” to her clients directly from her own bank accounts. But by May 2009, those payments stopped, and Smyth fled back to the United States.
Her victims — many of whom had trusted her personally — reported the matter to police, prompting a long-running and complex investigation. Following a review in 2017, the Public Prosecution Service sought her extradition, leading to her eventual arrest and return to face justice.
Detective Constable Mark Anderson, who led the investigation, said Smyth’s crimes had a devastating impact on her victims.
“Smyth worked as a mortgage advisor in Northern Ireland from 2005 to 2009. During this time, she fraudulently obtained large sums of money from customers for investments which she did not make,” he said.
“To this day, Smyth denies all responsibility for her crimes. She now faces deportation back to the United States.”
Detective Constable Anderson described the sentencing as the culmination of a “complex, cross-border investigation” supported by law enforcement partners in the US.
“Her victims have waited a long time to see justice served, and we want to thank them for their patience and cooperation,” he added. “Sadly, one of her victims died before court proceedings concluded and our thoughts are with their family today.”
He continued: “Fraud is a crime which has a profound emotional impact on its victims, in addition to the long-term financial consequences. Smyth targeted the savings of innocent people — some of whom considered her a friend — and acted with no thought for the lasting trauma she caused. Her only concern was to line her own pockets.
“Today’s sentence should send a clear message to those involved in scamming hard-working people: they will be pursued and brought before the courts, no matter how long it takes.”
Police have urged anyone who believes they may have fallen victim to a similar scam to come forward.
“We know some victims may feel there’s a stigma attached to ‘falling for’ this type of scam,” Detective Constable Anderson said. “But criminals like Smyth go to great lengths to appear plausible. We will listen without judgement — the only person who has done something wrong is the fraudster.”
Anyone wishing to report fraud can contact police on 101 or report online at psni.police.uk/report
Further advice on scams and fraud prevention is available at psni.police.uk/safety-and-support/keeping-safe/scams-and-fraud
