AN investor from the North-East is among friends and acquaintances of a film producer left heavily out of pocket by his disappearance.

The sudden departure of Felix Vossen, with a subsequent contact black-out, has sparked an international manhunt for the former city trader and son of a wealthy Austrian manufacturing family.

Mr Vossen persuaded friends and family to invest millions in film projects and is now suspected of a multi-million pound fraud.

His last known sighting was on leaving London City Airport on a flight to Zurich, in Switzerland, where he has an office and a home, on March 3.

A group of 26 investors has now obtained a High Court order requiring him to pay £45m, after suing him over a breach of trust.

They include retired Tyneside security consultant, Tom Trotter.

The 78-year-old investor said he was persuaded to make a £65,000 “short-term” commitment, shortly before Mr Vossen’s final known flight.

He said he did receive a return on a previous investment, making him more confident of making a further financial commitment.

Mr Trotter described the German-born Swiss national as, “extremely charming”, with an ability to, “ingratiate himself” into people’s lives.

“Almost all of his victims were his friends.

“He not only stole our money, but also our faith in human nature,” said Mr Trotter, who met Mr Vossen through, “mutual acquaintances”.

Other investors are thought to be owed larger sums and have launched a worldwide campaign to trace the man best known for producing films such as The Sweeney, featuring Ray Winston, and I Anna, starring Charlotte Rampling.

It is thought he left behind possessions in his London home, having given instructions for documents to be shredded in preceding days.

A warrant for his arrest is understood to have been issued in Switzerland, where he carried out much of his trading.

The Scotland Yard fraud squad and the FBI are also said to be investigating, while his bank accounts in London, Zurich and New York are reported to have been frozen by the High Court.

Mr Trotter believes that when his financial situation worsened Mr Vossen appears to have begun to plan his “escape”, seeking money from people who thought they could trust him, some even to the point of selling their homes.

There is now speculation that he may have assumed a new identity, disguised himself heavily and even travelled to “lie low” in South America or Asia.

Mr Trotter said had he owned up to his true situation he may have been met with sympathy and given time to put things right.

He added: “But, he simply booked a ticket on the Lord Lucan express and disappeared.”