X Factor finalist reveals she was robbed of over €140k in earnings

With two studio albums under her belt since appearing on The X Factor in 2010, Rebecca Ferguson could have been set up for life.

But speaking in court earlier this week, the mum-of-three revealed how she was conned out of over "well over £100,000" (€140,000) in earnings by a former friend and business advisor. Rebecca choked back tears during a hearing in London's Crown Court as as she explained what had happened.

"Her crimes go deeper than money," she said. "I felt she had become obsessed with me and my family and sought not only to steal from me but to rob everything I had worked hard for."

Rebecca outlined one incident in which she had transferred £3,350 (€4,700) to the former friend's bank account, believing it was going into a trust fund for her daughter Lillie May.

Testifying about the emotional and mental damage she has suffered as a result of the fraudster's actions, Rebecca said, "My heart and my mind are broken by her crimes… As a result of everything, I cannot trust people, and I was always a naturally shy person."

She explained that it had changed her life significantly, adding, ""I now question everybody and it limits me socially."

Rebecca rose to fame on The X Factor after finishing in second place to Matt Cardle.

She notoriously became close to One Direction's Zayn Malik after meeting him on the show, and the pair ended up dating for four months, which sparked controversy among fans due to their six-year age gap. 

Speaking about the relationship a year after it ended, Rebecca called it a "blip" and a "mistake," saying, "That to me is a moment in my life that I just think, 'What was going on? You were having a breakdown.'"