The UK's Financial Conduct Authority is prosecuting Mark Barry Starling, 57, of Farnham in Surrey, for three offences relating to unauthorised investment schemes it says that he operated between 1 August 2008 and 25 April 2017.

Starling's schemes, according to the regulator, purported to trade in financial futures for the benefit of investors. He is being prosecuted for operating, or purporting to operate, a collective investment scheme without authorisation or exemption, contrary to ss19 and 23 Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, and for two counts of fraud, contrary to ss1 and 2 Fraud Act 2006.

Mr Starling’s first court appearance was at City of London Magistrates’ Court on 21 August. The case was passed to Southwark Crown Court with the first preliminary hearing scheduled for 18 September 2018. The FCA is not commenting further.