So what happened to the fat profits?

EASY-money guru Kevin Foster expected to tame the watchdogs of the Financial Services Authority at the High Court last Tuesday.

Instead, they turned on him. Huge sums are unaccounted for, the court was told, with 'a black hole of £13.8m'.

And mystery surrounds a pyramid scheme called Planline, which holds much of the millions entrusted to Foster by his members.

It claims to be based in the Cayman Islands, but the FSA says it is run from Maidstone, Kent, just ten miles from Foster's home.

Foster's bid to get the FSA to back down flopped. But he says he will relish the next court battle, when he expects the watchdog to try to make him bankrupt.

Foster hosted nationwide roadshows, signing up more than 8,000 investors by offering 500% annual returns.

He is on bail after being arrested by the Serious Fraud Office on suspicion of theft and conspiracy to defraud.