The morning case file
London Crime Briefing
Significant incidents, hearings, outcomes and public-data changes across the capital.
Topic
fraud
59 stories, newest first · page 1 of 3.
- Courts · Hounslow
Ex-Councillor Athwal Denies Fraud Charges
Gurbachan Singh Athwal, a former Hounslow Labour councillor and current Independent councillor for Heston East, has pleaded not guilty to fraud by abuse of position. The charges relate to his time as treasurer of Sri Guru Singh Sabha Southall, where he allegedly misappropriated £12,682 between 2021 and 2022.
Hounslow2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 60 · Hype 41 - Courts · City of London
Civil servant denies fraud over five public sector jobs
A civil servant accused of holding five full-time public sector jobs simultaneously has denied fraud. Kashim Chowdhury told the court he was overwhelmed by his mother's deteriorating health and applied for roles in a 'panic'.
City of London3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 
Courts · City of LondonHugh Rodley admits child abuse image offences
Hugh James Rodley, 79, has admitted to making and possessing indecent images of children. The National Crime Agency investigation found hundreds of images and extensive searches for abusive material on his devices. Rodley has a history of serious fraud convictions.
City of London3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 58 · Hype 20- Latest
Southall man admits murdering Michael O'Donnell
Christopher Donnelly has admitted to murdering Michael O'Donnell in Southall. The 54-year-old also pleaded guilty to fraud, having exploited and stolen from Mr O'Donnell for years before his death. Police discovered the victim's body weeks after he died.
3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 77 · Hype 65 - Fraud & Cybercrime · London
Thousands lost as firm accused of fake healthcare job promises
Individuals 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.
London4 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 - Latest
Gen Z warned over job offer scams
Nearly half of adults aged 18 to 24 have received unsolicited job offers, with many concerned about missing genuine opportunities. Virgin Media O2 warns these scams can trick people into sending money or clicking malicious links.
3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 41 
Fraud & Cybercrime · LondonScammers arrested in Ghana and Nigeria as UK leads crackdown
An 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.
London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 60 · Hype 45- Courts · City of London
Civil servant accused of juggling 5 jobs, earning £350k
A civil servant is accused of fraudulently holding multiple full-time government jobs simultaneously, prosecutors told Southwark Crown Court. Kashim Chowdhury allegedly worked up to 183 hours a week and earned nearly £350,000 from eight employers between February 2020 and September 2023.
City of London4 min readTrust 60 · Craft 75 · Hype 45 - Courts · City of London
Man accused of faking illness with make-up for five government jobs
A civil servant is accused of defrauding eight employers of almost £350,000 by juggling multiple government jobs. Kashim Chowdhury allegedly used remote working and even make-up to fake illness during video calls to conceal his workload, Southwark Crown Court heard.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 
Fraud & Cybercrime · BexleyBexley man jailed for hacking, blackmail and fake sex worker ads
Bosun 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.
Bexley2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 41- Fraud & Cybercrime · City of London
Canary Wharf fraudster jailed for SIM swap scam
A 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.
City of London2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 41 - Fraud & Cybercrime · City of London
Hobbs, Whistles owner TFG London hit by cyber attack
The 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.
City of London2 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 41 
Fraud & Cybercrime · LondonDeloitte accused of falsifying documents for Abramovich tax evasion
Leaked 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.
London4 min readTrust 74 · Craft 87 · Hype 35- Courts · City of London
Saleswoman jailed for four years over faked claims
A saleswoman has been sentenced to four years and eight months in prison for perverting the course of public justice. Louise Gallagher fabricated a doctor's note for cancer treatment and lied to the Metropolitan Police about a witness during employment tribunal claims against two companies.
City of London4 min readTrust 68 · Craft 77 · Hype 45 - Courts · London
Frederic Priestley's rental scam sentence cut by 11 months
Frederic Priestley has had his prison sentence for a rental scam reduced by 11 months. He defrauded over 30 people of nearly £77,500 by advertising a London flat he did not own on Facebook.
London3 min readTrust 42 · Craft 57 · Hype 41 - Courts · City of London
Ex-MP Shahid Malik cleared in Covid testing fraud trial
Former MP Shahid Malik has been found not guilty of three offences related to RT Diagnostics, a firm accused of fraudulent Covid-19 testing. The trial, which took place without a jury, saw co-founder Faisal Shoukat convicted of fraud and money laundering.
City of London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 20 
Fraud & Cybercrime · BrentNursery operator admits £92k fraud against Brent Council
A 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.
Brent3 min readTrust 70 · Craft 77 · Hype 45
Courts · SouthwarkFraudster Priestley's jail term cut by Court of Appeal
Freddie Priestley, from Southwark, has had his prison sentence reduced from 35 months to two years by the Court of Appeal. He admitted defrauding over 30 renters out of more than £77,000 by falsely advertising a flat on Facebook.
Southwark3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 20- Fraud & Cybercrime · London
Fake Halloween Events Scam Targets Londoners
Halloween 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.
London3 min readTrust 50 · Craft 65 · Hype 45 - Fraud & Cybercrime · London
ASOS customer data may have been accessed in cyber incident
ASOS 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.
London3 min readTrust 60 · Craft 65 · Hype 50