British alien gets 10 years for nearly $100 million Ponzi scheme

As part of the scheme, he and his partner posed as executives of the London/Hong Kong firm Bordeaux Cellars and raised $100 million in the scheme by promising interest payments from wine collectors.

By Ben Whedon

Published: April 23, 2026 1:05pm

The Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) on Thursday announced a 10-year prison sentence for a British alien who orchestrated a nearly $100 million Ponzi scheme.

James Andrew Wellesley received a 10-year prison sentence and was ordered to pay $1 million. As part of the scheme, he and his partner posed as executives of the London/Hong Kong firm Bordeaux Cellars and raised $100 million in the scheme by promising interest payments from wine collectors. The effort targeted roughly 140 people, including 71 people.

“Anyone who steals from Americans will be held accountable. This fake wine company was a $100 million Ponzi scheme,” acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “We are thankful for the cooperation with FBI’s New York office in the investigation and sentencing of this foreign fraudster.”

Wellesley was previously convicted of false accounting and mortgage fraud in the UK.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.