The kingpin behind internet escort and debt elimination scams which fleeced £5.7million from 17,300 victims has had the amount he must pay back reduced from £750,000 to £183,000.

Notorious conman Antoni Muldoon lived the high-life in Malaga on the profits of the frauds before being caught by Suffolk Trading Standards officers.

He and most of his confederates were jailed by Ipswich Crown Court after a long-running investigation spanning Spain and England.

Muldoon was jailed for seven years and five months in July 2013 for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

In December 2014 the 68-year-old re-appeared before the court for his Proceeds of Crime confiscation hearing when it was agreed Muldoon’s benefit from his crime was £2.3million.

However, his available assets at that time were said to total £750,000. A confiscation order was made in that sum.

The assets were said to include a 10-bedroom £500,000 villa in Malaga.

Muldoon was also ordered to give up three boats valued at a total of £100,000 and other assets which were said to be worth £150,000.

However yesterday the court heard that Muldoon only had available assets of £182,900 and a new confiscation order was made in that amount.

Compensation of around £140,000 has already been paid to his victims.

At Muldoon’s sentencing Judge Rupert Overbury said the ex-pat was a “thoroughly dishonest, manipulative and mean individual”.

Mark Bell, of Westerfield Road, Ipswich, Colin Samuels, of The Street, Redgrave and Geraldine French, of Lowestoft were found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud at Ipswich Crown Court after a trial in 2013.

Bell was sentenced to six years and six months, Samuels to five years and six months, and French to six years and five months.

Bradley Rogers, of Malaga was found guilty of money-laundering and was jailed for two years and 10 months.