An Asian gang of five men and one woman from London, were sentenced at Harrow Crown Court for conning and sweeping life savings from elderly people in Devon. The gang have been jailed for a total of 16 years.
Most of the victims were elderly and some lived in the South West of the country. The gang was nailed by a team of officers from Cornwall and Devon Police who spent several months investigating their crimes.
It is said that there were over 100 victims who were conned by the alleged gang. Victims also included some businesses, and a total of over £2 million were stolen.
“Operation Fardel” was launched in 2014 which has Inspector John Shuttleworth leading a team of police officers from Cornwall and Devon to nab the gang. Inspector John Shuttleworth said, “About three years ago we started to see a spike in calls from members of the public, many very elderly, who were reporting being scammed and losing money. We decided to follow the money. Money laundering happens because the fraudsters need somewhere to put the money. We found bank accounts, effectively being offered as financial warehouses, and used as somewhere to put the money. They would take it out along a complicated trail to clean it up.”
The gang
Heman Mehta, 34, from Ealing Road, Wembley, was born in India and came to Britain on a student visa in June 2005. He also worked in a Post Office. He admitted that he was knowingly involved in money laundering from fraud through his and his partner's bank account to the value of £245,000. He allegedly laundered fund derived from fraud through the Post Office as well, to the value of £285,000. Total value: £530,000. Sentenced to 6 years in total plus automatic deportation.
Kinjal Barot, 27, from Ealing Road, Wembley, is the partner of Heman Mehta. She was born in India and came to Britain in 2009. It is said that she was acting under Mehta's instructions and withdrew no more than £75,000. Suspended for 9 months plus recommended for deportation.
Muhammed Hussain, 23, from Landseer Avenue, Manor Park, is a British citizen of Bangladeshi origin and is a student at a college in Newham, London. He pleaded guilty to money laundering on the basis that he was aware that the sum of £80,000 gained fraudulently were going through his bank account. He was paid £1,000 for his actions. Suspended for 9 Months.
Yunus Desai, 58, from Victoria Street, Chorley, Lancashire, is a British citizen born in India, yet it is alleged that he has very little knowledge of English when speaking to the police. He allegedly possessed fake documents. Suspended for 12 month.
Vishalkumar Patel, 27, from Pinner Road, Harrow, London, was born in India and entered the UK as a student in 2010. He pleaded guilty to money laundering on the basis that he was aware £275,000 was being converted through his bank accounts, as well as the bank accounts of Jayesh Makwana and Crystal, which he controlled. Sentenced to 4 years 9 months plus automatic deportation.
Pritesh Patel, 37, from Upper Beeding, Sussex, was born in India, and touted as being one of the main members of the gang. He is well educated who entered the UK on a student visa in 2006. It is said that he abused his position as a manager at a Post Office. He pleaded guilty to money laundering on the basis that he was aware that funds gained from fraudulent means (£45,000)of were going through his bank account. He also allegedly converted fraudulent fund through the post office to the value of £405,000. Sentenced to 5 years 6 months plus automatic deportation.
