A law student who duped Justin Bieber fans into buying fake concert tickets has pleaded guilty to fraud.
Zainab Pervaiz, 25, set up online sale listings for performances by Bieber, Adele and Beyonce, conning victims out of more than £7,000.
Pervaiz, of Walsall, used a PayPal account belonging to Sidney Bicknell, a friend’s grandfather, to take payment.
At Birmingham Crown Court she admitted 16 counts of fraud by false representation.
Pervaiz took money for tickets she did not have, and transferred the cash from PayPal into her own bank account, the court heard.
Police became involved after disgruntled customers began to complain, and the friend’s grandfather was forced to repay them.
Judge Simon Drew QC said Mr Bicknell was extremely vulnerable and had been manipulated over a sustained period of time.
Pervaiz had, he said, lied “consistently, repeatedly, not only to the complainant – the grandfather – but also the police as well”.
The court also heard Pervaiz was of “high sporting ability” and made the England Ladies Cricket squad and trained with the England football camp.
Her barrister Amanda O’Mara said Pervaiz, of Swan Pool Grove, knew she would no longer be able to follow her career in law.
“She fully accepts her responsibility and criminal behaviour over this time period,” she added.
Pervaiz was bailed to return for sentence in November and could face up to three years in prison.
Source: bbc.co.uk
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