Rolex scammer jailed for £86k worth of watch-related fraud

Christopher Mancini has been put behind bars for more than two years after Hertfordshire Police successfully uncovered his crimes dealing in counterfeit Rolex watches.

Also known as Christian John, he advertised the fake Rolex watches for sale as genuine between 2021 and 2023, and even met his victims in person to convince them to do deals outside of the online platform he used. 

Mancini used his knowledge of the luxury branded watches and his fake ID, counterfeit paperwork, and packaging, to convince five victims to pay out more than a total of £74,000 for the ‘super-clone’ Rolex watches.

Hertfordshire Police also confirmed that one victim even traded a genuine Rolex valued at £12,000 for a counterfeit one. 

Mancini was interviewed in 2024 after an investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Serious Fraud and Cyber Unit and while none of the victims were from Hertfordshire, two of the offences were committed in St Albans. 

Mancini, aged 39, from Milton Keynes, appeared at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday 9 April and was found guilty of five counts of fraud and jailed for two years and four months. 

He will also be subject to Proceeds of Crime legislation to recover funds to compensate the victims of his crimes. 

Detective Constable Liz McGrath from the Serious Fraud and Cybercrime Unit, said: “Mancini was so brazen that he met his victims in person. Unknown to the buyers, the watches and packaging they purchased were counterfeit. One victim even part exchanged a genuine Rolex for a counterfeit one.”

She added: “Five victims from across the country (London, Essex, Liverpool, Scotland and Bucks) lost over £86k buying these fake watches. The sentence reflects the serious and persistent nature of Mancini’s offending and we will also be applying to compensate the victims through Proceeds of Crime legislation.”

Detective Sergeant Jonny Ellison from the Serious Fraud and Cybercrime Unit then went on to give some advice on the importance of completing a purchase within the confines of a platform like eBay in order to benefit from the safety procedures they have in place.

He explained: “When purchasing high value goods, we would remind members of the public that buying from established retailers and paying via credit card gives you added protection if things go wrong. 

“Many websites offer an ‘Authenticity Guarantee’ and established jewellers will be able to advise you on any high value purchases in a pressure free environment. It may be tempting to pay cash or cut out websites that charge fees to get a better deal, but this could cause you disappointment and large financial losses in the future.”