A GANG of fraudsters dressed as Pudsey Bear to trick shoppers into handing over ￡500,000.

       They also used marketing material from charities including Children in Need, The Children’s Society, MIND and Great Ormond Street Hospital to pretend to be legitimate collectors.

       3

       Ringleader David Levi used his loot to fund luxury holidays and also had a Hummer motor imported from the US Credit: MEN Media 3

       Levi claimed he was working as an escort and had inherited ￡100,000 Credit: MEN Media

       Over a decade, they repeated the scam at supermarkets across the country with only a fraction of the cash given to the proper causes.

       Ringleader David Levi used his loot to fund luxury holidays and also had a Hummer motor imported from the US.

       Under investigation, he was asked about 196 cash deposits totalling ￡47,835.55 made to his Santander account between 2011 and 2017.

       He claimed he was working as an escort, had inherited ￡100,000 cash from his dad and won at a casino.

       READ MORE CRIME STORIES BBC STAR CHARGED Bargain Hunt star Charles Hanson charged with assault & coercive behaviour

       IN CHAINS New details of Brit millionaire's kidnap hell revealed - including weapons cache

       But Levi, 49, of Lytham St Annes, Lancs, admitted fraud and transferring criminal property charges at Preston crown court.

       He and six others will be sentenced today for their parts in the scam.

       Prosecutors agreed that if Levi paid ￡60,000 compensation, they would not seek a Proceeds of Crime hearing.

       Richard Atkins KC, prosecuting, said: "The reality was that only a fraction of the monies handed over by members of the public ever reached the charities.

       Most read in The Sun

       NO MONEY Nationwide payment issue means MILLIONS face 'no cash for Christmas'

       GREAT ESCAPE Alex Batty tells of escape & says 'Mum's a great person but not a great mum'

       PIERS MORGAN From biggest A-hole to most shameless hypocrites... my Xmas cracker awards

       'OPEN-MINDED' Helen Flanagan will spend Xmas with David Haye and his throuple partner Sian

       “In some instances it is obvious that monies were only deposited with the charities following a police intervention or other enquiry - obviously as a smokescreen."

       3

       Cash, including stacks of ￡2 coins, collected by the fraudsters