NEW YORK, NY – James Robinson and David Kennedy, principals of the Spain-based United Property Group, have pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy in connection with a scheme that defrauded hundreds of investors worldwide through the company Bar Works Inc. and related entities.

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams announced the guilty pleas, underscoring the determination of the Southern District of New York to pursue fraudsters globally.

Robinson, 47, entered his plea today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara Moses and is set for sentencing on September 25, 2024, by U.S. District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan. Kennedy, 48, pleaded guilty on October 13, 2023, and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2024, also by Judge Kaplan. Both face up to 20 years in prison.

The fraud involved the sale of workspace leases in Bar Works, a private co-working space company, which was part of a Ponzi scheme orchestrated by the notorious Renwick Haddow. Despite Haddow being previously disqualified as a director in the UK and sued for fraudulent activities, he controlled Bar Works under the alias “Jonathan Black,” a fictitious CEO. Robinson and Kennedy were instrumental in recruiting agents and disseminating fraudulent materials to investors, leading to the collection of over $57 million from more than 800 investors before the operation collapsed in June 2017.

Phil Stilton Latest posts

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.