Ampika’s ex fined over loan scam

Ampika Pickston - ex fined

A COMPANY directed by the ex husband of “The Real Housewives of Cheshire” star Ampika Pickston has been fined £100,000 for running a loans scam — again.

The regulator PhonepayPlus received 119 complaints about Cash Finance Direct Holdings Ltd, of which Pickston has been a director since 2000 and is the majority shareholder. Its text messages tempted people to call 0906 lines costing £1.53 a minute.

Customers complained they had been given the false impression they had been approved for a loan. The company is in liquidation with a deficit of £1m.

In 2010 when Pickston traded as Horizon Finance the company was fined £50,000 after customers were misled into thinking they had secured a loan.

Pickston (55) is now divorced from 33-year-old Ampika, originally from Shaw, who stars in the ITV reality TV show.