Just two weeks after being jailed for three-and-a-half years, wannabe pop-star Emanuel Balzan, also known as Tristan B, was yesterday jailed for another three years for ­defrauding a businessman of €70,000.

The 32-year-old fraudster from Rabat is serving a nine-month term after he tricked a man he met in hospital by ­convincing him he needed money for an urgent ­operation.

Two weeks ago, Mr Balzan admitted to defrauding another businessman, Andrew Abela, of about €9,000 last April, enticing him to invest in a bogus construction deal. He told Mr Abela that for the deal to go through he needed to settle two or three outstanding bills with Enemalta and the VAT Department.

Mr Balzan has appealed the judgement.

Magistrate Anthony Vella yesterday found him guilty of fraud when he borrowed money from a businessman for different reasons promising that he would pay him back. He told the businessman he had money in the bank which he however could not use because of a garnishee.

The businessman was told he would be repaid once the order was withdrawn.