Ex-NASA Scientist Pleads Guilty to £1M Investor Fraud

John Burford, an 85-year-old former NASA scientist who worked on the manned Mars exploration team, has admitted to defrauding over 100 investors out of more than £1 million through unauthorized trading activities. Burford operated investment schemes under the name "Tramline Trader" and charged subscribers for daily investment alerts and membership in a VIP Traders Club. Although he raised £1 million, only £760,000 was traded, with significant losses reported, and substantial portions of the funds were used to purchase his own home. He misled investors about the value of their funds and refused withdrawal requests, all while carrying out unauthorized business in the UK. Burford pleaded guilty to charges of fraud by false representation and unauthorized trading between January 2020 and December 2023, and he will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court at a later date. Prosecutors emphasized the seriousness of the fraud, noting Burford’s previous career credentials and the scale of the deception through his company Financial Trading Strategies Ltd.