Victoria Beckham’s ex-brother-in-law , who lives near Stevenage, has been ordered to pay back money he gained by scamming elderly victims.

Darren Flood - of High Elms Lane, three miles east of Stevenage - was one of five men jailed for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation in November 2018.

The men set up a pretend company called 'The Commodities Link', grooming at least 24 elderly victims and convincing them to pay in to fake investment opportunities.

The company, which appeared legitimate with offices in Canary Wharf, glossy brochures and marketing videos, boasted of celebrity links and would send cars to collect high-value victims and take them out for meals.

The brochure claimed: "Our experienced brokers are all trained to deal with clients with no experience and we pride ourselves on the fact that many of our clients make their first commodities trade with us."

However the claims in the brochures and videos were fake, and the Canary Wharf offices were serviced offices and mailboxes.

Surrey Police started investigating the company in 2013, after one of the victims, a woman in her 80s, asked her bank manager to help her transfer £100,00 to the fraudsters.

The bank manager became suspicious and contacted police.

Following their convictions, Surrey Police sought confiscation orders against them, which were granted at a hearing at Kingston Crown Court on Friday, July 5.

The men were ordered to repay a total of £370,634.80 which had been identified in assets, with Flood jailed for 30 months and ordered to repay £190,000.

The Daily Mail has reported that Flood, 40, used to be married to Victoria Beckham's sister Louise Adams, and used links to the Beckham name to convince victims to part with their money.

Det Insp Matt Durkin, head of Surrey Police's Economic Crime Unit, said: "These people destroyed their victims' lives without a second thought.

"They took life savings, left investors destitute and took away the confidence and independence of their elderly victims.

"They were professional criminals, essentially grooming the people they targeted over time, and thoroughly deserve to have each and every penny of their criminal gains that we've been able to identify from them."