Yahoo News 'Shameless' London fraud gang jailed for £2m car insurance scam targeting Porsches, Mercedes & BMWs
It was a nice little earner until they got caught - now 16 men have been convicted in a £2million fraud conspiracy. Porches, Mercedes, and BMWs were all nabbed in an organised crime scam using fraudulent credit agreements based on stolen information. The five London men at the heart of the fraud - described as 'shameless' by the lead detective - are now serving a total of over 15 years.
The swindle worked by giving several men fake identity documents, then setting up credit agreements with other people's details. When the credit had been finalised with car dealers across the country, the men, known as 'strikers', used their fake identities to collect cars from different locations like hotel car parks.
From February 2020 and July 2022, 75 cars valued at more than £2million were stolen. Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Specialist Investigation Team worked with the Insurance Fraud Bureau (IFB) and National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service (NaVCIS) on the investigation to work out how criminals around the country were carrying out the scheme.
'Shameless group of scammers'
Jon Radford, Head of Intelligence, Investigations and Data Services at the IFB, said: “We're pleased to see justice has been served following one of our biggest ever investigations involving identity theft; in collaboration with Hertfordshire Police, NaVCIS and our insurer members.
"This shameless group of scammers stole the identities of hundreds of people to take out fraudulent insurance policies, without a regard for the impact on victims, in an elaborate bid to steal brand new cars through finance deals.
"Identity theft is a growing threat which results in real harm, as it facilitates a wide range of crimes. We encourage the public to be vigilant and if anyone thinks their personal info has been compromised for an insurance scam, to report it to our confidential CheatLine."
The sentences
The lead offenders of the gang all pleaded guilty:
Ammir Mukhtar, 26, of Pretoria Road North, Tottenham, four years 10 months for fraud by false representation
Mukhtar Ibrahim, 26, of Holcombe Road, Tottenham, four years six months for fraud by false representation
Emmanuel Dwamena, 36, of Cornworthy Road, Dagenham, two years six months for theft of motor vehicle
Samad Miah, 28 of Yarmouth Crescent, Tottenham Hale, two years one month for fraud by false representation
Sadiq Miah, 27, of Yarmouth Crescent, Tottenham Hale, 14 months for fraud by false representation.
The ‘strikers’ all pleaded guilty, apart from Abdalla:
Mohammed Jeilani, 36, of Rycroft Way, Tottenham Hale, 28 months for fraud by false representation
Leroy Gayle, 42, of Mayville Road, Leytonstone, 18 months suspended for two years, disqualified from driving and ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work for fraud and theft of motor vehicle
Jamarl Lambert, 32 of Eternit Walk, Fulham, 24 months suspended for two years, with a six-month curfew order and disqualified from driving and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work for fraud and theft of motor vehicle
Henry Galloway, 45, of Eldon Road, South Kensington, 24 months suspended for two years, rehabilitation activity requirement and a five-month curfew for theft of motor vehicle
Eamon Hannigan, 52, of Barrowfield Close, Edmonton, 24 months suspended for two years, a rehabilitation activity requirement and five-month curfew for fraud and theft of motor vehicle
Mekail Abdalla, 21, of no fixed address, 24 months suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community work for fraud by false representation
Martin Herbert, 53, of Yarmouth Crescent, Tottenham Hale, 14 months, suspended for 18 months for fraud by false representation
Ahmed Omer Ali, 39, of Great Amwell Lane, Crouch End, one year and six months suspended for 18 months, with six-month curfew order and a rehabilitation order for fraud by false representation
James Layzell, 31 of Baker Avenue, Chelmsford, 13 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months.
Two gang members, who arranged false MOT documentation, pleaded guilty and appeared at St Albans Crown Court on April 8:
Gerado Ortiz, 31, of Como Street, Romford, two years imprisonment, suspended for 18 months for fraud by false representation.
Hassan Kijenyi, 71, of Meanley Road, Manor Park, two years imprisonment, suspended for 18 months for fraud by false representation.
Both men were also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and given electronically monitored curfews for six months.
'Keep a paper trail'
Sharon Naughton, Head of NaVCIS, said: “This was determined and sophisticated criminality with multiple victims for each fraudulently obtained vehicle. Those who had their details stolen in the first place that were used to illegally obtain finance for vehicles, the garages, vehicle manufacturers and finance companies who were defrauded, and those who the cars were eventually sold on to who were all ultimately left out of pocket once the vehicles were seized.
“We urge anybody purchasing a second-hand car to ensure they have taken every effort to guarantee that the information given to you is accurate. Ask to see evidence of MOT certificates and service history and contact the garages concerned to confirm their authenticity. If the price is too good to be true, trust your instincts.
"Do not pay cash if you are offered a discount, keep a paper trail. Cloning of stolen vehicles has become extremely difficult to detect. If you buy and drive a stolen car, your insurance will not be valid and this will incur an uninsured loss when the vehicle is seized."
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