Man jailed for duping kids in Olympic dance scam

LONDON (AP) — A fraudster has been jailed for a scam that offered young dance students fake places in the closing ceremony for the London Olympics.

Judge Sylvia De Bertodano sentenced Stephen Moonesamy to two years in prison. According to the BBC, the judge said he had "dashed more hopes than Simon Cowell."

Moonesamy was arrested in May after approaching three dance schools in Northampton, central England, claiming he was recruiting children aged 9 to 19 to dance at the games' Aug. 12 finale.

Detective Superintendent Nick Downing said Tuesday that Moonesamy has "callously deceived around 75 youngsters" who had begun rehearsing for the event before the fraud was uncovered.

Police say it's not clear what the motive was, as Moonesamy did not stand to make a profit.