Gary Today
Retired British Expat | Pension Justice Advocate | Community Supporter
Gary is a retired British national now living in a rural Thai village with his long-term partner and her family. By the way his partners name is Aranya, but everyone calls her Aulie.
A former professional who lost everything due to pension fund mismanagement, Gary has since become a quiet but determined voice for justice in financial services. Despite severe setbacks — including the loss of his home and future income — he has rebuilt a life rooted in simplicity, resilience, and community.
He lives among locals with no other foreigners nearby, surrounded by humble but happy families. Gary is deeply grateful for his partner’s unwavering support and now dedicates himself to advocating for pension scam victims and seeking regulatory accountability. His mission is to one day secure redress and give back to the community that embraced him when he had nowhere else to turn.
Gary’s Story
In 2022, I shared my story with several high-profile figures, including The Right Honourable Nigel Farage MP and the GB News team. I hoped that exposing the truth about the mismanagement of my pension — and that of many others — would prompt meaningful action. What I’ve uncovered since is even more alarming than I first imagined.
A Trustee in Gibraltar — and a System in Collapse
My pension was entrusted to a Gibraltar-based Trustee who, rather than safeguarding my retirement, redirected the funds to Slovakia without my knowledge or consent. When I discovered this, I was shocked to learn that the company receiving the funds, while FCA-approved to operate in the EU, failed to comply with the terms of their authorisation. They deducted substantial, unauthorised fees and then — almost overnight — the remaining balance vanished.
This occurred shortly after Brexit. Whether coincidental or calculated, the timing raises serious questions.
Judicial Recognition — But No Justice
The UK Court of Appeal later ruled that the Trustee had mismanaged British pension funds. But instead of being held to account, they declared insolvency. The Supreme Court of Gibraltar confirmed they were “hopelessly insolvent” — suggesting they had likely been operating unfit for purpose for some time. It also came to light they had failed to secure mandatory insurance protection for pension schemes — a potential criminal breach.
The Regulatory Wall of Silence
Despite the judicial findings, UK authorities have shown a disturbing unwillingness to act:
- The FCA admits the firm had authorisation, but refuses to investigate individual cases — even those involving the misuse of that very approval.
- The Pensions Regulator offered no reassurance, only stating that if they were to investigate, victims would not be informed.
- HMRC contradicted FCA messaging, claiming they do not approve QROPS schemes at all.
- The Pension Ombudsman and FSCS have dismissed the case entirely, asserting that EU-linked approvals fall outside their remit.
- Action Fraud astonishingly stated there was “nothing to investigate” — despite rulings by both UK and Gibraltar courts.
A Growing Movement for Accountability
It’s become painfully clear: British pensioners have been left defenceless while institutions deflect responsibility. But we are no longer alone. Victims are now organising, uniting our stories and expertise to push for change. With the help of committed campaigners and prominent allies, we are demanding a full and transparent review of the regulatory failures that enabled this injustice.
If my story echoes your experience, or if you want to help put an end to this scandal, please get in touch. I’m happy to connect you with others in our group — some of whom have decades of expertise and a deep understanding of the legal and financial complexities involved.
Together, we can make our voices heard. This is no longer just about money — it’s about justice.
See Blog: When Regulators Enable Fraud: The Case of Gary and the QROPS Trap.
🙌 Stand With Ian. Speak the Truth. Spark the Change.
Ian Davis fought not just for himself, but for all of us.
If you’ve been affected by financial crime, or if you believe no one should ever suffer in silence—share this story.
Raise awareness. Demand reform. Reclaim your power.
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Your Money or Your Life
Unmask the highway robbers – Enjoy wealth in every area of your life!
By Steve Conley. Available on Amazon. Visit www.steve.conley.co.uk to find out more.
Academy of Life Planning 
Title: “The Illusion of Oversight: When Regulation Becomes a Mirage”
By Steve Conley
Gary placed his trust in what he believed was a regulated structure. It wasn’t a leap of faith—it was an informed decision based on explicit promises made in black and white.
“Castle Trust & Management Services Limited is specifically licensed by the Financial Services Commission (FSC) in Gibraltar… regulated by FSC, the firm carries Professional Indemnity Insurance which covers all aspects…”
The message was clear: trust us—we are licensed, insured, audited, and regulated.
But what happens when those assurances begin to unravel? When the regulators themselves go silent? When the paper-thin veneer of oversight is peeled away to reveal an empty space?
Gary did what any responsible person would do. He asked the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC) for evidence of the Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) that the firm was required to have in place in order to be licensed. He asked to see the audits and the regulatory checks that should have followed year after year.
They refused.
He submitted Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests. Still, silence. The GFSC dismissed his requests, stating they were not subject to UK rules. When the Gibraltar Police were informed of the regulator’s apparent negligence, the response was just as hollow.
No answers. No accountability. Just silence.
Let’s be crystal clear: when a regulatory body licenses a financial firm and requires it to hold Professional Indemnity Insurance, it has a duty—not a choice—to verify, record, and supervise that requirement.
This includes:
But in Gary’s case, and perhaps many others, none of these safeguards seem to have been followed.
And worse, the very regulator entrusted with public confidence has chosen not to explain itself. It has failed not only in oversight, but in its moral responsibility to the victims of the system it governs.
This is not just a lapse—it is a betrayal.
Gary’s story is not a one-off. It is a warning. It is a spotlight on a regulatory culture that, in some jurisdictions, seems more concerned with licensing revenue and plausible deniability than with protecting the people who rely on its credibility.
If regulators want the public to trust their licences, they must be prepared to show the machinery behind the badge. Because right now, what we are seeing is not regulation. It is theatre.
Gary put it best: “They hope I will go away quietly. Wrong! WE WILL PREVAIL.”
And we will.
Because the illusion of oversight must end. And real accountability must begin.
Title: “The Regulator That Looked Away: A Gibraltar Tragedy”
By Steve Conley
When Gary submitted his official complaint to the Gibraltar Police, he didn’t do it lightly. It wasn’t out of bitterness or frustration—it was because the truth had become too loud to ignore.
Behind that complaint lies a quiet storm of deceit, incompetence, and wilful blindness. At the centre: the Gibraltar Financial Services Commission (GFSC). A body meant to act as a safeguard for the public, yet one that appears to have turned its back when the red flags were waving furiously in the wind.
Here’s what we now know:
The GFSC licensed a pension scheme managed by Castle Trust—a firm whose CEO already carried a tarnished reputation linked to investment fraud. A firm that, according to the Gibraltar Supreme Court itself, was operating while insolvent. And somehow, despite all that, the licence was granted. The green light was given. The trust of ordinary pensioners was bought—then betrayed.
But the story becomes even darker.
The Supreme Court minutes name a group of British retirees from Cyprus. Their losses? Around £35 million. These weren’t speculative gamblers. They were pensioners—mothers, fathers, workers who had spent decades saving for dignity in old age. And shockingly, their pension funds were poured into the scheme before it had even been licensed.
How does that happen in a regulated system?
How do audits “pass” a firm that’s already knee-deep in investor funds—despite being financially unstable and under questionable leadership?
And when those responsible are asked to account for these discrepancies, why do we hear only silence?
Gary asked the GFSC directly. He asked how such a firm was licensed. He asked how audits could miss what the court itself later acknowledged. He demanded answers. Instead, he got stonewalled.
This isn’t just about one man’s retirement. It’s about the systemic failure of a regulator—a body entrusted with the financial safety of thousands—who now appear complicit through inaction.
The silence of the GFSC cannot protect them. Because the facts, as outlined in court documents, investor testimonies, and now a police complaint, are stacking up into something impossible to bury.
As Gary said: “They cannot simply ignore this.”
And they won’t. Not now.
Because there is a reckoning coming—not just for Castle Trust, but for the systems and institutions that allowed this tragedy to unfold unchecked. Justice delayed does not mean justice denied. And the victims—those in Cyprus, and beyond—deserve nothing less than the full weight of that justice.
Hi
I have lost 85k with this castle trust. Floodcheck was involved. And graham boiardi. This money was all i had .After my mum left it to me .We have no house or assets .And this money was to suport my youngest son .Who is disabled. This situation has made me so ill .I can’t believe they can get away with it.
Thank you for reaching out and sharing what you’ve been through. I’m deeply sorry to hear about your devastating loss—£85,000 is a significant amount, and it’s heartbreaking to know it was meant to support your son. Your story is both distressing and, sadly, not unique.
You’ve shown real courage in speaking up, especially given how this has affected your health and well-being. I want to reassure you that you’re not alone. There are many others fighting back against the same kinds of exploitation, and we are committed to helping victims find both justice and recovery.
I’d like to look into this matter further for you—particularly the involvement of Castle Trust, Floodcheck, and Graham Boiardi. Would you be willing to share any documents or correspondence you have? This could help us build a clearer picture and explore possible next steps.
With your permission, we can also include your case in our wider efforts to expose misconduct and advocate for proper redress. Your voice matters—and can help protect others, too.
Sending strength to you and your son.
Hi Steve
I cant remember if I replied
Did I send you details.
Paula
Please send me an email to steve.conley@aolp.co.uk, and we can work together on this at no cost to you. In solidarity, Steve
Gary’s story continues… https://academyoflifeplanning.blog/2025/05/29/the-door-slammed-shut-when-the-regulator-fails-the-victim/