by A bullying property tycoon who ruined his client’s life in a £3.5 million luxury yacht scam has been jailed for 12 years.
Myck Djurberg, 64, sold a “dream” of first-class living on a marina resort at the Hampton Riviera, convincing customers to hand over hundreds of thousands of luxury houseboats.
But he did not have planning permission for the houseboats on the banks of the Thames in Richmond, and sold them there without residential mooring licences.
When the victims later learned of the true position, they described Djurberg as a “deceiver” who had turned the salesman “flushing with rage” and bombarded them with angry and threatening e-mails.
At Kingston crown court on Wednesday, Djurberg was sentenced to 12 years in prison, as his victims came forward to detail side-by-side ordeals that left them vulnerable, depressed, and suicidal.
Judge Martyn Barklem said Djurberg took a “characteristically bullying approach” to disputes with clients, dragging them through years of civil litigation, and continuing during his criminal trial.
“You went from attractiveness when trying to sell to aggression and shame when challenged”, said the judge, calling Djurberg a “complex” character.
“You were able to convince intelligent people, partly by mind, and partly by making completely false representations, that you were able to grant fitment on the project site, offering a great lifestyle alongside a river
“But it was very clear to you that there was not, and was not likely to be, a residential fit-out permitted on the yard.”
He said Djurberg had spun a “web of deception” for clients, selling them houseboats as part of a dream retirement, but “the dream turned into a nightmare”.
The court heard how Djurberg dragged the victims of the fraud through financially ruinous civil litigation before refusing to pay the compensation ordered, and continued to abuse and harass him while he awaited his criminal trial.
Fiona Johnstone, who bought a houseboat from Djurberg with partner LouisSydney, won a High Court battle against him in 2017, spending their savings and selling their homes to fight the lawsuit. But they didn’t get any money from the tycoon.
She outlined the “horrendous” impact of moving into rented accommodation without the chance to buy their own home again.
“We have nothing but debt and a rotten boat”, she said, revealing that she suffers from suicidal thoughts and closed her eyes twice on the motorway for ten seconds “to see what would happen”.
“I thought maybe it was better to die”, she said.
Jennifer Small, who bought a houseboat with her husband Oliver, said Djurberg had “stolen a significant amount of time and money from us to the tune of £1.6 million”.
She said their ten-year ordeal had ruined her career and business interests, although her two children had “lost confidence in the world around them”.
“We lost faith in the world and our own judgement”, she said, before describing Djurberg as “torturous lawyers” who forced them to spend money defending themselves in bogus lawsuits.
Eye surgeon Simon Keightley held back tears in court as he described his “happy, confident and highly talented wife being systematically destroyed” when they suffered Djurberg’s fraud.
“Anger and frustration is the best way to describe this terrible part of our lives”, he said. “I wish I had never seen this man.”
Djurberg was convicted at the end of a trial on three counts of fraud by false representation and one count of fraud. The Crown Prosecution Service has revealed that it now intends to go after the tycoon’s assets, including his elegant 19th-Century Swiss estate imported from Surrey.
“Djurberg did not have planning permission in place for the use of boats for residential, residential or commercial business purposes”, said Andrew West, specialist CPS prosecutor.
“Despite this, he fraudulently sold five houseboats, profiting financially from the frustration of his customers.
“Following this conviction, we will pursue confiscation proceedings to ensure that Djurberg pays back the money he gained through this criminal operation.”
In 2021, Djurberg was convicted of assault after throwing gardening gloves on a tenant before chasing him around the boatyard.
The victim, Klaus Beversluis, came into Djurberg’s office at the Hampton Riviera boatyard in a dispute over £5,500 in fees.
In an attack caught on camera, Djurberg hit Mr Beversluis on the back of the head with orange and brown gloves before arming himself with a plastic roofing tool, shouting “I’ll break your f***ing head”.
Djurberg was given a 12-month community order, including 20 rehabilitation sessions and three months of mental health treatment.
In the police investigation into the houseboat fraud, it was found that Djurberg had only obtained planning permission for a leisure fit-out, not a residence permit. He did not pay the Environment Agency for this license either.
The local authority, Richmond Borough Council, who had served several enforcement notices on Djurberg, attended the scene and removed some of the illegal pontoons.
During the fraud trial, Djurberg claimed to speak 11 languages and hold several academic degrees.
While giving evidence, he made a series of baseless allegations against the victims, the police and officers.
