To all affected, I am so sorry this happened to you.  I seem to be the odd one out in terms of knowing Neil IRL (was with him in Marbella when he shipped the UKIPT HR) and not being sent the C&P sob story.

As Scotty77 says, this really is a story of cynically playing on the good nature of good, normal people.  Most earned the money they gave in 'real life' jobs...because they thought they were doing a friend a favour in a tough spot with his business.  Many of them are finding their lives altered by the sums they gave.

The worst story surrounds his longterm best friend, whom he persuaded to leave his longstanding employment and go work for him...only to steal from him and leave him jobless.  That guy's family sure are picking up the pieces on Neil's gambling addiction.