A FRAUDSTER who funded a lavish lifestyle through scams totaling more than �9million involving high-class cars is due to be sentenced today.

Kankamol Albon, of Smallbridge Hall, Bures, near Sudbury, has admitted seven counts of dishonestly making a gain by false representation by offering to buy Ferraris, Mercedes and Porsches, along with other elite vehicles for clients at discounted rates.

However, the 41-year-old is said to have run a Ponzi-style con where she kept some of the money she was given by one client, before replacing it with funds taken from another customer.

Following a lengthy investigation by Suffolk Constabulary codenamed Bastion, Albon was discovered to have committed offences valued at �7.5m.

However, while Albon was on bail during the police inquiry it was discovered the mother-of-five had also been fiddling the taxman.

HM Customs and Revenue then conducted its own investigation into VAT which had been claimed back on cars, and discovered a further fraud of �1.8m.

A second court case against Albon was pursued in relation to the customs investigation. This has now led to Albon pleading guilty to cheating the Public Revenue.

Albon, who is known by the name Minky, is currently remanded in custody. She is likely to face a lengthy jail term when she is sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court.

Albon ran NA Carriage Company, a dealer in prestige cars based in Bures. Before setting up in Suffolk it had previously been based in Romford.

Albon originally came to Britain 28 years ago after being brought up in Thailand.

At an earlier hearing before Ipswich magistrates - which has not been able to be reported until now - it was said that when Albon’s financial house of cards collapsed she faced losing everything.

Prosecutor Colette Griffiths told the court Albon’s �4m moated home, Smallbridge Hall, had been due to be repossessed in April. However, this was delayed until May as it was discovered a tenant was living in part of the property and had to be given the appropriate period of notice to leave.

The magistrates were told Albon still had a strong connection with people in Malaysia and south-east Asia.

However, while on bail for the car frauds Albon was allowed to travel abroad to act as chaperone for her eldest son, who is a promising young racing driver.

On her credit cards and business documents Albon used the name of Minky, which was also used on travel documents.

Before her lavish lifestyle came to an end Albon had enjoyed the trappings of wealth.

In addition her children had been privately educated when the money rolled in. However they had to be withdrawn from their schools and home-schooled after Albon’s assets in the UK and around the world were frozen.