Apprentice contestant involved in north property dealings

A CONTESTANT in the hit UK reality TV show ‘The Apprentice’ was revealed yesterday as an investor in stolen properties in the occupied areas.

According reports in the UK, semi-finalist Jamie Lester, 28, re-sold the homes of Greek-Cypriots om the north.

Lester defended his dealings by saying: “All properties I have dealt with have supporting documents. I cannot be held responsible for the land.”

In 2009 Lester told an interviewer from Success Mag in 2009: “Five years ago I just saw it as an emerging market and took the opportunity. It was an up and coming area but not all that well known. Thankfully, I was right! Now we are one of the best-known, and most respected, estate agents in the region.”

Lester’s company, North Cyprus International employed eight people in the occupied areas in 2009 and published a magazine, called NCI, for potential buyers.

The company is believed to have been bought out by a rival property developer after it experienced cash flow problems.

One potential client wrote about NCI’s service “Just a word of warning re NCI. I went to “TRNC” on an inspection trip with them in March 07… despite being very specific about what I wanted the result was they actually only had one property to show me which I didn’t find suitable.” While others said they had no problems and recommended the firm.

Asked about the magazine Lester said: “There’s a lot of information in there but nothing is complicated and we don’t use jargon. People want facts – especially when they’re making such a big decision as investing in a property. It’s no joke!”

Asked about Lester, former Liverpool council leader Derek Hatton, who attended a conference at which Lester spoke, said: “I remember Jamie. I disagreed with the morals and legality of his argument.”