Fake pub company Tudor Inns has been wound up following an investigation by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
The company lured aspiring publicans to part with substantial fees in return for training and a placement in a pub of their choice.
The West Yorkshire-based company took fees of around £4,000 to 5,000, claiming that clients would be trained to run a pub.
Around 60 people parted with money after being told they could put their name down for a pub of their choice. They were often shown lists of pubs that were expected to become available, and were able specify what type of pub they would like to run.
However, the training was poor and the promised pub often failed to materialise.
Those who were given pubs to run often found that they were far below the standard they had requested and some had even been closed down following drugs busts.
DTI investigators found that the company had made misleading statements in their training contracts by promising a public house placement after trainees completed their training.
The investigators also found that the company had failed to file accounts and annual returns.