20 March 2013
Multi-million pound frauds and scams involving fake shoes, parking tickets and energy drinks feature in this month’s bumper edition of launderers in the news.
Ealing man jailed for laundering over £200m – London
A man who laundered over £200m for organised crime gangs through a London money exchange has been jailed for nine years. A Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) investigation found the exchange had purchased over €240m in three years from foreign exchange sellers, but the books showed only £5m going through the corporate accounts. The man’s wife and son were each jailed for 10 months for Proceeds Of Crime Act offences.
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Man convicted following £52m money laundering racket – Derby
A man has been jailed for three and a half years following an investigation into one of the biggest money laundering operations ever uncovered in the East Midlands. The man was paid £200 a week by criminals, who would bring money to be laundered to his home. He would then count the money, enter the amount in account books and store the cash until he received instructions on where to deliver it. Investigating officers found £171,000 at his home.
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£6m drugs supply ring broken up – Kent
Two men who masterminded a £6m drugs ring in Kent have convicted of money laundering and conspiracy to supply controlled drugs. They were arrested following an investigation by the Kent and Essex Serious Organised Crime Unit. One of the men was arrested during a car chase and was found to have £1.47 million worth of cocaine in a holdall. The other man was later arrested at his home. Both will be sentenced later this month.
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Gang who posed as Greggs executives jailed after £2.7m scam – Oldham
A gang posed as executives of high profile companies, including Greggs, McDonalds and Samsung, to trick businesses into sending them goods on credit. The items were delivered to various addresses in Manchester but never paid for. The gang successfully obtained £2.7 million worth of items. The money was laundered through accounts held by a husband and wife in the gang. Both have admitted money laundering charges.
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Textiles business owner convicted of money laundering – Leicester
Four men have been jailed following a £750,000 VAT fraud. The fraud involved submitted false VAT returns and invoices to HM Revenue & Customs. A textile business owner, who received the largest amount of money from the fraud, was jailed for four months for conspiracy to launder money. Two other men, who set up fictitious companies to make the false claims, and a launderette owner who physically moved the stolen money, were jailed for over four years for conspiracy to cheat the public revenue.
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Mastermind behind major insurance fraud jailed – UK wide
A man set up several fraudulent websites advertising cheap car insurance. He made £550,000 after over 600 drivers fell victim to the scam. The man sent victims fake insurance certificates and many drivers only realised they had been conned after they were stopped by police for having no insurance. He pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering and will be sentenced later this year.
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Nightclub owner sentenced after £300,000 drinks scam – Bradford
A nightclub owner tricked businessman into buying the marketing rights for fake energy drinks. Virtual offices and fictitious personnel were created to make the scheme appear legitimate. He made trips to Hungary and Dubai to pay off witnesses and absconded during his trial in December. He was convicted of 13 counts of money laundering and perverting the course of justice and was sentenced in his absence to seven and a half years imprisonment.
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Career criminal’ jailed for four years – Canterbury
A man who set up a fake company to launder money over four years has been jailed. The man used several fake passports to open bank accounts and credit cards, which he then used to obtain goods from shops, banks and petrol stations. Money paid into the company’s account was transferred to other individuals. The man also used his parents’ names to open fake accounts to launder cash. He pleaded guilty to 13 counts of money laundering and fraud.
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Former social worker’s ‘criminal lifestyle’ leads to jail – Hull
A former social worker has been convicted of money laundering after fraud investigation officers found over £110,000 in his bank account that he was unable to account for legitimately. The money was deposited in cash over a six year period. A raid on the man’s home found cannabis in bags. He also failed to declare income from rental properties. He pleaded guilty to money laundering charges and was given a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work. The man will also face a proceeds of crime hearing.
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Fraudster ordered to pay back £42,000 after parking ticket scam – North Tyneside
A woman and her son set up two false companies and issued car-parking tickets to people using disabled bays in supermarket car parks. She made £350,000 from the scam and was convicted of conspiracy to defraud and money laundering last year and sentenced to 30 months. At a proceeds of crime hearing last month, she was ordered to pay £42,987. An accomplice who made £137,600 from the scam was ordered to pay £1 because he had no assets.
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Wife convicted of laundering money for rogue trader husband – Cambridge
A woman who laundered £25,000 of cash for her husband has been jailed for 12 months. Her husband ran a gang of rogue traders who defrauded elderly victims by over-charging them for shoddy building work. Over 100 people in Cambridgeshire are believed to have been tricked by the gang, which is thought to have cost victims £700,000 in total.
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Mother and daughter laundered cash for fake footwear scam – Lancashire
Two women have been found guilty of converting criminal property after acting as bankers for a counterfeit footwear operation. The women allowed several thousand pounds from the sale of the fake goods to be transferred through their bank and PayPal accounts. The son of the older woman admitted selling £100,000 worth of imitation Ugg boots, Nike and Puma trainers and Timberland boots on eBay from the family home. All three will be sentenced in late February.
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Three men convicted after joint police investigation – Lancashire
Three men were arrested following a car chase in Skipton. One man was chased by police officers on foot and dropped a bag contained £8,000. The cash was later found to contained traces of drugs. Two of the men were jailed for a total of 15 months. The third man was given a six month suspended sentence and 120 hours’ unpaid work. The arrests followed a joint operation by Lancashire and North Yorkshire police.
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Fraudster jailed after defrauding post offices – Sudbury
A man obtained £5,000 from post offices by exploiting a system put in place for customers who had lost their bank card or cheque book. The system is no longer in place. He was given a nine-month suspended sentence, ordered to pay £2,000 compensation and given 100 hours’ unpaid work.
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