The head of a London-based foreign exchange (FX) investment firm, implicated in fraud of £50 million, has chosen not to attend his ongoing trial in the city. Anthony Constantinou, the man behind Capital World Markets Ltd. (CWM FX), faces seven charges, including fraudulent trading, following accusations from prosecutors that he orchestrated a Ponzi-like scheme, enticing investors with the prospect of substantial profits.

Constantinou's Absence: Not an Admission of Guilt

Judge Gregory Perrins informed the jury at London's Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday that Constantinou had opted not to be present. "He has voluntarily absented himself," said Perrins, quoted by Bloomberg.

He emphasized that this decision should not be interpreted as an admission of guilt on Constantinou's part, and that the trial would proceed without him. The defendant, who rejects all charges, had attended the initial stage of the three-month trial, which began in March.

CWM FX, established in London's financial district in 2013, lured investors by projecting an aura of exclusivity. This was achieved through the luxurious office in London's Heron Tower, sponsorships of various boxing events, and partnerships with the renowned Chelsea Football Club.

The company's operations came to a halt in March 2015 after a police raid which resulted in the arrest of thirteen suspects involved in an alleged pyramid scheme, which promised investors a monthly return of 5% on their investments. Constantinou himself previously served a 12-month prison sentence after being convicted of sexual assault in 2016. The court characterized his actions as reminiscent of the "Wolf of Wall Street" behavior.

As part of the latest trial, which began a month ago, Constantinou's legal team has not yet provided a response to the accusations or outlined their defense arguments. The prosecution has previously alleged that Constantinou created the appearance of success by diverting funds from supposed investments for his own lavish spending.

Bloombeg reported last month that some of the embezzled funds were used for Constantinou's wedding worth several million pounds and a party to celebrate his child's first birthday.

The Story of Constantinou's 24 Fallen Companies

Constantinou got his start in business in 2005, at the age of 24, when he became the CEO of AC Enterprises Limited. In the following years, he also held the position of Director of Aixia Limited (trading as T4X Binary or T4X Signals), which ended up on the UK regulator's warning list. Over the course of 10 years, he was a director of 24 different companies, none of which survived to this day and all of which were dissolved.

In 2016, DMS Bank, based in the Cayman Islands, was sued by a group of 318 individuals who claimed to have lost £50 million on investments with CWM Group.

While the bankrupt broker's actions bear clear traces of a financial pyramid scheme, Constantinou's representatives argued at the March hearing that the significant funds poured into sponsorship agreements and running the office were factors showing that CWM FX was running a successful business and was not a cover for fraud.