In a shocking turn of events, a rapist who used a fake ticket to claim a £2.5 million lottery jackpot has been released from prison early after serving just four and a half years of a nine-year sentence. Eddie Putman, the man responsible for the fraud, was able to walk free while his accomplice, Giles Knibbs, tragically took his own life in 2015. This has left friends of Knibbs questioning the fairness of the situation, as they believe Putman got away with a crime while his partner paid the ultimate price.
Putman was convicted of the fraudulent lottery scheme in 2019 and was hit with a hefty confiscation order of £939,000. He managed to pay off £94,000 of his debt before his home in Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, was seized by prosecutors and sold at auction for £1.2 million. This left Putman with the potential to have £355,000 remaining after settling his debt, but the court may choose to increase the value of the confiscation order. The damaged house, near the M25 motorway, was involved in a fire in October 2022, adding another layer of mystery and tragedy to the story.
Putman and Knibbs’ criminal partnership began after they met while Putman was doing construction work at Knibbs’ family home. They shared a friendship and dreams of property development, which led them to concoct a plan to steal £2.5 million from an unclaimed lottery jackpot. The pair fabricated a winning ticket, with Putman claiming to have found it under the seat of his van and submitting it to Camelot just before the 180-day claim deadline. Despite its obvious irregularities, Camelot accepted the damaged forgery as authentic, and the scam went undetected for several years.
The fraud started to unravel when Knibbs, burdened by guilt, confessed to friends that he and Putman had conned the lottery. The men had a falling out over how to split the ill-gotten money, leading to Knibbs taking his own life in 2015. Putman, however, continued to live lavishly with the stolen funds, flaunting his wealth by taking friends on vacations, handing out cash, and buying expensive cars. Despite Knibbs’ tragic end, Putman’s deception eventually caught up with him, and he was convicted of fraud after a trial at St Albans crown court.
Despite being released early from his sentence, Putman will be under strict supervision and face potential recall to prison if he violates the conditions of his release. The release of a convicted rapist and fraudster has sparked outrage among those familiar with the case, who question the justice and fairness of the legal system in allowing Putman to walk free while his co-conspirator paid with his life. The story serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of greed and deception, and the lasting impact it can have on all those involved.
