Wealthy investors, rumoured to include professional golfers and footballers, joined his scheme after being promised big returnsA businessman who persuaded investors to join a get-rich-quick scheme has disappeared along with £130 million of their cash, it was revealed today.Joe Lewis, 59, vanished after admitting to clients in an email that his company JL Trading had not done any business in five years and all their money had gone.Wealthy investors, rumoured to include professional golfers and footballers, joined his scheme after being promised big returns.But after briefly visiting relatives in Hull, East Yorkshire, he has now disappeared from his offices in Turkey.Police have begun an investigation and a civil action has been launched against him to freeze his accounts and seize any remaining assets he may have.In the email to clients on December 3, Lewis wrote: “Dear investor, I am writing to inform you that JL Trading is ceasing to carry on business.“Contrary to the impression I have hitherto given, the business has lost almost all of its assets and there appears no prospect of those assets being recouped.“JL Trading ceased foreign exchange trading in 2009 following substantial losses and since that time the business has suffered further losses which I have tried to make good through investments in a number of commercial projects.“However, it is now clear that the business will not be able to recover its losses and must cease trading.”He added: “I can only apologise unreservedly for any losses or unfulfilled expectations of profit.“I have tried to recover the position for a considerable period of time but it is now clear that I will be unable to do so.
"Due from Broker, $260,000,000 in 1 account US. I am happy to share information with the legal entities.“Everything he had is ruined. Ourexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. I don’t know where the money has gone. Two days later, in his final message, he changed his story and said the wording of the previous email had been drafted by his lawyers.He wrote: “You have been sent an update this week which was worded by my lawyers but I wanted everyone to know I am not running away from things.“Whilst I regret some of the things I have done, I will do my best to remedy this situation. This money was supposed to be savings for my children and grandchildren.“I have never met the bloke and I don’t think I have ever spoken to him.”Mr Wall said he began having suspicions in September last year and added: “I was asking could I draw some money out and they started giving me excuses why they couldn’t do it.”Mr Wall said that his daughter and son-in-law, who live abroad, had also made investments.British oil engineer Neil Rodrigues said he invested £26,000 in 2013 - four years after Lewis now admits he stopped trading.He said: “Most of my colleagues with spare cash invested in JL Trading.