Netflix Puppet Master inspired by true-crime story of MI5 conman

One of the world’s most audacious conmen is the focus of Netflix's latest true-crime drama.

Over the course of a decade, Robert Freegard controlled, conned and fleeced at least seven women and one man, stealing close to a million pounds.

His traumatised victims were led to believe they were accomplices in highly elaborate secret service operations and that their families were in grave danger if they did not obey.

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Freegard exploited, abused and controlled them with extreme cruelty, confident his victims were too paralysed by fear to escape.

In a new three-part series, Netflix speaks to a family in the present day, who fear for their mother’s safety.

Hendy-Freegard claimed he worked as an undercover agent, often for MI5, against the IRA.

The conman then ruthlessly exploited the weaknesses of his victims and commandeered their lives.

He would ask them for money, convince them to cut off their family and friends and undergo 'loyalty tests'.

His first victims were a group of friends, two women and one man, who all studied at Harper Adams.

While working at a pub in Shropshire in 1992, Hendy-Freegard told them he was actually an MI5 undercover agent investigating an IRA cell at Harper Adams.

Befriending them, Hendy-Freegard convinced them of his role and made them perform bizarre missions.

He then told the male victim his cover as an agent was blown and they both now needed to go undercover.

Adding to his shocking deceit, he told the two female friends, the man had cancer and they needed to all go on a 'farewell tour' of England.

The group then moved to Sheffield, where Hendy-Freegard ordered them to cut off contact with their families because they were in danger and give him all their money.

Hendy-Freegard continued this charade with several victims over ten years - making nearly £1m.

He used the cash to fund a luxury life of top-of-the-range cars, designer suits, expensive meals and five-star holidays in Brazil and elsewhere.

Where is Robert Hendy-Freegard now?

In 2002 Scotland Yard and the FBI organized a sting operation and caught Hendy-Freegard.

A London court then convicted him for two counts of kidnapping, 10 of theft and eight of deception.

On September 6 2005 he was given a life sentence.

In 2007, he appealed against the kidnapping convictions to the House of Lords and won.

It has since been reported that Hendy-Freegard was released in May 2009.

Netflix attempted to contact Hendy-Freegard but received no response.

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