The morning case file
London Crime Briefing
Significant incidents, hearings, outcomes and public-data changes across the capital.
Home › Fraud & Cybercrime
Fraud & Cybercrime
Fraud, scams, cybercrime and economic-crime cases affecting Londoners and businesses.
42 stories · page 1 of 3
Man arrested over £28,000 sheep theft insurance scam
Fraud & Cybercrime—24 Oct 2026, 11:253 min readA 24-year-old man has been arrested by City of London Police on suspicion of fraud. The arrest follows an investigation into insurance claims for over 650 sheep allegedly stolen in Devon, with over £28,000 paid out before a third claim was stopped.Read moreUK Websites Offline Amid Critical PHP Security FlawFraud & Cybercrime—22 Oct 2026, 10:053 min readA critical security flaw in the PHP programming language has prompted UK organisations to take websites offline. The vulnerability could allow remote server control, with the National Cyber Security Centre urging updates or shutdowns.
Court quashes convictions of six traders in Libor scandalFraud & Cybercrime—18 Oct 2026, 06:254 min readSix traders, including former UBS trader Tom Hayes, have had their convictions for manipulating benchmark interest rates quashed by the Court of Appeal in London. The ruling follows a protracted legal battle for justice by those prosecuted in relation to Libor and Euribor manipulation.
Pharmacist jailed for £1.3m NHS fraud selling cancer drugs
Fraud & Cybercrime—16 Oct 2026, 16:463 min readPharmacist Jignesh Patel has been jailed for his role in a £1.3 million NHS prescription fraud. The scheme involved selling cancer drugs obtained through fake prescriptions to European wholesalers, with investigators identifying over 1,600 false prescriptions.Thousands lost as firm accused of fake healthcare job promises
Fraud & Cybercrime—15 Oct 2026, 06:254 min readIndividuals have reportedly paid thousands of pounds to Synetal Solutions Ltd for healthcare job training and sponsorship that did not materialise. London Citizens Advice has noted a rise in similar recruitment scams targeting vulnerable people.
Scammers arrested in Ghana and Nigeria as UK leads crackdown
Fraud & Cybercrime—13 Oct 2026, 16:464 min readAn international law enforcement operation, hosted by the UK's National Crime Agency, has led to the arrest of almost 30 suspected scammers in Ghana and Nigeria. The crackdown also saw Meta remove 3.7 million online accounts and identify $11 million in potential freezable funds.
Bexley man jailed for hacking, blackmail and fake sex worker ads
Fraud & Cybercrime—13 Oct 2026, 16:252 min readBosun Osagie of Hartslock Drive, Bexley, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for hacking a woman's Snapchat and X accounts. He created fake profiles using her images to solicit sex work and also blackmailed the victim.Canary Wharf fraudster jailed for SIM swap scam
Fraud & Cybercrime—13 Oct 2026, 14:462 min readA 25-year-old from Canary Wharf has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for a SIM swap scam that stole tens of thousands of pounds from multiple individuals. Ajay Shinjin spent the illicit gains on an apartment, gold grills, and holidays.Hobbs, Whistles owner TFG London hit by cyber attack
Fraud & Cybercrime—13 Oct 2026, 07:462 min readThe Foschini Group's UK subsidiary, TFG London, has reported a cybersecurity incident affecting its Phase Eight, Hobbs, and Whistles brands. While some website functions may be unavailable, the company stated there is no indication that customer payment information is at risk.Cyberattack hits Hobbs, Whistles, Phase Eight
Fraud & Cybercrime—13 Oct 2026, 07:461 min readFashion retailers Hobbs, Whistles, and Phase Eight have been affected by a cybersecurity incident impacting their IT systems. TFG London is investigating if customer data was compromised and will notify individuals if necessary.
UK cyber defences 'likely to be breached' by AI, minister warns
Fraud & Cybercrime—12 Oct 2026, 14:064 min readBritain's AI minister Kanishka Narayan has warned that a breach of the UK's cyber defences is "likely, if not inevitable" due to advancements in artificial intelligence. The UK's AI Security Institute is testing models like Google's Gemini for vulnerabilities, following an incident in Australia where a rogue AI agent hacked a government website.
Deloitte accused of falsifying documents for Abramovich tax evasion
Fraud & Cybercrime—12 Oct 2026, 07:464 min readLeaked documents suggest Deloitte Cyprus backdated accounts for Roman Abramovich's company, Amiscan Investments, in 2006. This action allegedly removed assets worth £508m, leaving only $75,000, as part of a scheme described as "straightforward" tax evasion.
Nursery operator admits £92k fraud against Brent Council
Fraud & Cybercrime—8 Oct 2026, 13:473 min readA former nursery operator has pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering after claiming over £92,000 for children who did not attend her Cricklewood nursery. Pauline El-Amrati will serve a suspended sentence and complete rehabilitation activities.Fake Halloween Events Scam Targets Londoners
Fraud & Cybercrime—8 Oct 2026, 08:263 min readHalloween fans are being warned about a scam involving fake scarefest events advertised by Halloween Nights Fear. The company has sold tickets for events that do not exist, including one listed for Transport for London. Technology experts suggest AI may have been used to create the convincing website.ASOS customer data may have been accessed in cyber incident
Fraud & Cybercrime—6 Oct 2026, 19:453 min readASOS has confirmed that customer names and contact details may have been accessed following unauthorised activity involving third-party platforms. Thousands of customers received alarming notifications on their phones regarding a potential hack.Insurers Detect £1.34 Billion in Fraudulent Claims
Fraud & Cybercrime—6 Oct 2026, 08:253 min readInsurers identified £1.34 billion in fraudulent insurance claims during 2025, a 14% increase from the previous year. The average fraudulent claim rose to £14,300, with motor insurance representing the largest share of detected fraud.East London men charged in Barbados over cocaine seizure
Fraud & Cybercrime—5 Oct 2026, 11:462 min readTwo men from east London have been arrested and charged in Barbados with drug trafficking offences. Abdul-Rasheed Anjolaoluwa Oduola and Miraldie Ndunzi were found with 46kg of cocaine, valued at £444,000.
Crime group jailed for smuggling £30m cash to UAE
Fraud & Cybercrime—2 Oct 2026, 16:053 min readMembers of a crime group have been sentenced for smuggling nearly £30 million in cash to the United Arab Emirates. The operation involved using suitcases on Emirates flights and corrupt staff at Manchester Airport. Several individuals received prison sentences ranging from suspended terms to seven-and-a-half years.
Fraudster ordered to repay £64,743 for illegal subletting
Fraud & Cybercrime—27 Sept 2026, 16:053 min readA woman who illegally sublet a Wandsworth Council flat for three years has been ordered to repay nearly £65,000. Priscilla Antah posed as a landlord, charging a family £1,200 a month for the property before being prosecuted by the council.Phone smugglers jailed for 25 years for £5.5m network
Fraud & Cybercrime—25 Sept 2026, 17:454 min readThree men have been sentenced to a total of 25 years for their roles in the UK's largest phone smuggling network. The operation, dismantled by the Metropolitan Police, involved over 5,000 stolen phones valued at £5.5 million.Scammers use City pub address for fake hotel listings
Fraud & Cybercrime—25 Sept 2026, 08:063 min readScammers have used the address of The Liberty Bounds pub in the City of London as a fake listing for apartments on Booking.com. Tourists have been turned away from the pub after paying for non-existent hotel stays, with consumer group Which? reporting up to 20 visitors a day affected.Booking.com faces criticism over fake listings sending tourists to pub
Fraud & Cybercrime—25 Sept 2026, 00:254 min readBooking.com is facing accusations of failing to address fake property listings after customers were directed to a Wetherspoons pub instead of advertised luxury apartments. The consumer group Which? highlighted the issue, reporting that pub staff were turning away numerous tourists daily.Ponzi scheme mastermind jailed for over five years
Fraud & Cybercrime—23 Sept 2026, 18:253 min readJames Gillingham has been jailed for five years and six months for leading a £1 million Ponzi scheme that defrauded over 60 victims. The gang used fake London office addresses and aliases from popular TV shows to deceive investors between June 2015 and October 2016.Fraudster jailed for £1m investment scam
Fraud & Cybercrime—23 Sept 2026, 16:053 min readJames Gillingham has been sentenced to five years and six months in prison for an investment fraud scam that defrauded 74 investors of over £1 million. He operated through companies Choice Option and Blue Crest Capital Options, promising guaranteed returns through binary options trading.
Newham man jailed over £13.8m cannabis plot
Fraud & Cybercrime—21 Sept 2026, 15:464 min readFour individuals have been sentenced for their involvement in a scheme to import cannabis worth £13.8 million into the UK. Carsten Kyei, from Newham, East London, received a two-and-a-half-year prison sentence.FCA takes Hunter Jones to High Court over unauthorised activity
Fraud & Cybercrime—21 Sept 2026, 14:052 min readThe Financial Conduct Authority has launched High Court proceedings against Hunter Jones, a property investment firm run by social media influencer Reece Mennie. The FCA is seeking to prevent the company from conducting regulated activities without authorisation and to compel it to return money to investors.Ex-Brookside actor Philip Foster arrested in Spain over £13.6m fraud
Fraud & Cybercrime—18 Sept 2026, 15:263 min readFormer Brookside actor Philip Foster has been arrested in Spain after jumping bail. He was convicted in his absence of fraud and money laundering, receiving an eight-and-a-half-year sentence for a £13.6 million scheme that exploited over 6,000 aspiring models and their parents.Hackney men convicted of £5,000 fake bank transfer scam
Fraud & Cybercrime—16 Sept 2026, 14:463 min readTwo men from Hackney have been convicted of defrauding 10 people out of more than £5,000 using a fake bank transfer scam. The victims, primarily young men and students, were tricked into handing over cash after seeing a false confirmation on the fraudsters' phone.
Premier League's £10m frozen amid Sorare fraud probe
Fraud & Cybercrime—11 Sept 2026, 16:053 min readMore than £10 million of Premier League funds remain frozen as the National Crime Agency and Luxembourg authorities investigate its former fantasy football partner, Sorare.com, for alleged criminal conduct. The Premier League continued to receive funds until June 2025.
Wandsworth hotelier jailed for £450k Covid loan fraud
Fraud & Cybercrime—10 Sept 2026, 12:063 min readA Wandsworth hotelier has received a suspended prison sentence for defrauding the government of £450,000 through fraudulent Covid support loan applications. Richard Courtenay made nine false applications for Bounce Back Loans, using the funds for personal gain. He was ordered to complete unpaid work and rehabilitation.