Con artist makes waves in Fiji

"I never even met the man," said a stunned Evan Williams of conman Peter Foster.

Yet Foster, 44, knew who New Zealand businessman Evans was. In the course of a month, it is believed the Australian fraudster - known as the "greatest conman of all time" - attempted to step into Williams' shoes and ruin his life and business.

Emails in Williams' name offered for "$100 a day a Fijian boy will do anything and tell nobody". Thechildren were "as young as you want them" and it was easy. "The Fijians are a very simple people. Stupid really."

The object of the scam was Champagne Beach, a stunning coastline on which Evans is spending $30 million to build a world-class resort. Rooms will cost more than $2000 a night.

Foster, who has been in Fiji since 2001, wanted the land, Williams believes. He had raised $1.5 million to put his plans into action. What he needed, says Williams, was for the God-fearing, conservative Fijian people to reject him and take on Foster.

The first sign of trouble came two weeks ago when a local elder appeared on Fijian Television, "brandishing" emails he claimed were written in Williams' name offering perverse acts with children. The story was quickly followed up the next morning by the Fijian press - and the island was in uproar.

For Williams, the allegations were devastating. He and his company have long been active in helping the areas he works in with development, and have been close to the communities. Now, it seemed, someone had taken his name and undermined the close relationship he had with local Fijians.

Police have since said they believe the emails were forged, but Williams was rocked. "I was sickened,"he told the Herald on Sunday. "It's occupied 18 hours a day for two weeks." Williams began investigating the source of the slur, finding the "corporate identity theft" had been under way for a month. Identifying Foster as the culprit was not difficult. Foster was fingered by the family of the elder who first appeared on television.

Foster has been imprisoned for fraud and impersonation on three continents and was instrumental in Cheriegate - a huge personal scandal for Tony Blair. His victims - there are many - attest to his considerable personal charm and fierce intelligence.

Now Foster has gone missing. Police have issued an arrest warrant for him and raided his rented villa on the island of Viti Levu, and immigration officials want to question him over his tourist visa.

In Foster's absence, his mother, Louise Polleti, sent a two-page letter to the Fiji Times, denying his involvement, saying he had never attempted to hide his background and was "away on a scheduled business trip".

Kevueli Bulamainaivalu, an assistant commissioner of the Fijian police, said charges including impersonation, uttering forged documents and false representation were being considered. "And as far as I'm concerned, Peter Foster is an illegal immigrant and Immigration is also looking for him."

Foster has been living on and off in Fiji for about six years. He was banned in 2002 for unsuccessfully backing the New Labour Unity Party, although later returned on a tourist visa. His involvement in Fiji appears to be in pursuit of a long-term ambition, disclosed in the book, The Sting: True Stories of the World's Greatest Conmen, published in 2004.

Foster told author Nigel Blundell his aim was to find a small country, preferably in the Pacific, whose leader would be offered his expertise in boosting the economy. "He would do this for nothing in return for being granted ambassadorial status, so that he could hobnob with world politicians and travel the globe with diplomatic immunity," wrote Blundell.

Foster has never been short of such confidence, despite his spells in prison in Britain, Australia and the United States - for offences of forgery and impersonation involving slimming aids or pills - his fast talking and personal charm persuading otherwise hard-headed businessmen to part with their cash. "He has a hypnotic effect on people," said a former associate.

Foster first came to prominence in Britain through his relationship with glamour model Samantha Fox and a pyramid selling scandal involving a discredited slimming aid. He resurfaced in 2002 when he began a relationship with Carole Caplin, Cherie Blair's style and health adviser and offered himself as "financial adviser" to Mrs Blair over the purchase of two flats.

Although there was no evidence of wrongdoing, Foster's close links with Caplin and No 10 caused considerable embarrassment, leading to Mrs Blair having to issue a public apology. It has been speculated information Foster gained then has been stored for future use.

Blundell quotes another ex-associate: "Foster will be keeping all his information on Cherie Blair on a killer CD. That's what he always does." Foster may be down, but he is unlikely to be out.

- Additional reporting by Terry Kirby of The Independent