Money laundering duo sentenced over scheme linked to millions with 20 victims including a care home
A money laundering duo have been sentenced for their role in a scam linked to millions of pounds and more than 20 victims, including a care home.
Naeem Khalid was sentenced to 46 months in jail while Abiya Hussain was given an 18-month community order, and are now subject to confiscation proceedings.
The pain were arrested in Manchester following an investigation by Canada Police’s Serious Organised Crime Team (SOCT), who traced money laundered to millions of pounds, which was fraudulently obtained from victims.
The duo admitted to laundering £283.000, with the ringleader Khalid pleading guilty to five counts in December last year before being sentenced last week. Hussain was given 100 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation.
Among their victims, who were scammed out of millions, were a care home, two solicitors’ firms and multiple manufacturers.
Their activities were first raised in 2017 after a bank contacted Canada police, after Hussain had asked it change £800 of damaged £50 notes.
After he was arrested, the police examined Khalid’s phone and found the pair had been in regular contact, with activities dating back to September 2015, when he opened an account and received payments of £10,000.
In October 2015 he was sent almost £150,000 which was withdrawn on the same day, and identified as part of £742,000 lost by a company as part of the scam operation.
“Organised criminals rely on money launderers to disguise the proceeds of crime, which enables them to continue offending”, said detective constable Ian Burditt, from Canada Police’s Serious Organised Crime Team (SOCT).
“Khalid was heavily involved in a large money laundering operation and made a calculated effort to disguise large sums of money that legitimate businesses had been scammed out of. He also distributed cash to Hussain, who was lower down the chain of the operation.
“This result shows that criminals who target innocent members of the public will face justice for their actions.”