Knightsbridge boutique boss, 63, 'conned out of £1.3million by runaway heiress' trends now

Knightsbridge boutique boss, 63, 'conned out of £1.3million by runaway heiress' trends now
Knightsbridge boutique boss, 63, 'conned out of £1.3million by runaway heiress' trends now

Knightsbridge boutique boss, 63, 'conned out of £1.3million by runaway heiress' trends now

Over the decades, her high-end fashion boutique in Knightsbridge has counted Princess Diana, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Ava Gardner among its clientele.

But Bridget Hutchcroft, owner of Pandora Dress Agency near Harrods, rues the day a seemingly wealthy and charming 'heiress' waltzed through her door – and ended up swindling her out of £1.3million.

Ms Hutchcroft, 63, told the Mail how she was betrayed by Ekaterina Barrett, 67, who befriended her then convinced her she urgently needed to borrow money to see her through a costly divorce.

The case has echoes of Anna Sorokin, the inspiration behind Netflix drama Inventing Anna, who funded her luxurious lifestyle by posing as a wealthy German heiress to con New York's high society.

'Ekaterina never fully explained where her money came from but having visited her apartment in Monaco, I did believe that she had this huge trust fund that she told me about,' said Ms Hutchcroft. 

Bridget Hutchcroft, 63, told the Mail how she was betrayed by Ekaterina Barrett (pictured), 67, who befriended her then convinced her she urgently needed to borrow money to see her through a costly divorce

Bridget Hutchcroft, 63, told the Mail how she was betrayed by Ekaterina Barrett (pictured), 67, who befriended her then convinced her she urgently needed to borrow money to see her through a costly divorce

Bridget Hutchcroft (pictured), owner of Pandora Dress Agency near Harrods, rues the day a seemingly wealthy and charming 'heiress' waltzed through her door – and ended up swindling her out of £1.3million

Bridget Hutchcroft (pictured), owner of Pandora Dress Agency near Harrods, rues the day a seemingly wealthy and charming 'heiress' waltzed through her door – and ended up swindling her out of £1.3million

'She really is uncannily similar to Anna Sorokin, except Ekaterina hasn't been caught yet.'

Last year a High Court judge ruled that Ms Barrett must hand over £1.6million to Ms Hutchcroft to repay the loan and cover legal costs after she failed to honour an agreement to pay back the money.

But Ms Hutchcroft has now had to hire private investigators to track down the 'heiress' as not a penny has yet been handed over.

'She could be anywhere. Some people I know say they saw her recently around Mayfair, but I expect she's living permanently in Monaco,' she said.

Ms Barrett looked the part when she began visiting Pandora boutique in 2017. She mingled with London's elite in exclusive restaurants, lived in a £4.2million Mayfair flat and was driven around town in a Bentley.

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