UK: Faith Moyo, three others sentenced for £250,000 fraud and money laundering

The Northern Echo

UK — Four scammers who ripped off victims, including in the North East, for a total of £250,000 have been sentenced at court following an investigation into a large-scale fraud and money laundering operation.

Last August, officers from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) received a report from Northumbria Police of an elderly man, who had been contacted by fraudsters claiming to be from his bank.

They informed the victim that there had been fraudulent activity involving his bank account and that a courier would attend his home address to collect his bank cards, pin number and phone. The scammers then used the cards to make large cash withdrawals and purchases

During the investigation, police uncovered further victims in Newcastle, Northumberland, Cleveland, Darlington, Leeds, Colchester, Keswick, Shipley, Derbyshire and Stoke-on-Trent, all linked to the illicit operation – with over £250K in total being scammed from victims.

Brendan Mbara, 27, Saif Hussain, 31, Nadia Simelane, 34, and Faith Moyo, 21, swiftly found themselves arrested and charged.

Searches of cars during the investigation resulted in the discovery of thousands of pounds worth of Apple products and high-value items from Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.

Additionally, police uncovered multiple mobile phones and bank cards in the names of others.

Last Friday, the four appeared at Newcastle Crown Court.

Hussain, of Gilpin View, Leeds, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and was sentenced to four years and three months.

Mbara, of Middleton Little Road, Allerton Bywater, Castleford, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering and was sentenced to three years and 10 months.

Simelane, of Trafalgar Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years and 150 hours unpaid work.

Moyo, of Gamblehill Drive, Bramley, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Defraud and Money Laundering and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment suspended for two years and 150 hours unpaid work.

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