The police said the case focuses on a long-term cyber fraud and money laundering operation committed by a sophisticated criminal group between January 2016 and January 2019. The group used malicious software to infiltrate computers, enabling them to access the bank accounts of individuals and businesses.
hree fraudsters – including an Indian-origin man – who used malware to steal tens of thousands of pounds from victims across the United Kingdom have been sentenced to jail at the Birmingham Crown Court, Scotland Yard announced on Wednesday.
Abhay Singh, 33, admitted charges of conspiracy to conceal, disguise, convert, transfer or remove criminal property and was jailed for three years and four months. Accomplices Usman Khan was jailed for four years and six months and Naveed Pasha for one year and nine months.
The police said the case focuses on a long-term cyber fraud and money laundering operation committed by a sophisticated criminal group between January 2016 and January 2019. The group used malicious software to infiltrate computers, enabling them to access the bank accounts of individuals and businesses.
“The conspirators removed substantial funds from each account before transferring the money to other “mule” accounts under their control. They would then make a final movement of the funds before withdrawing it at banks across the country”, the Yard said in a release.
Khan controlled the criminal enterprise through the use of aliases and the support of a trusted group of criminal associates.
Between February 2016 and March 2017 Khan was involved in thousands of conversations discussing the fraudulent movement of up to £40,000 a day into mule bank accounts from both personal and business victim bank accounts.
Khan was arrested on in January 2019. Singh was also arrested at his home address, when officers seized objects including driving licences and bank cards belonging to other individuals, quantities of cash, paying in books belonging to businesses.
Gavin McKay from Central Specialist Crime said: “The impact of this fraud upon individuals and businesses both small and large should not be underestimated. This group of criminals stole tens of thousands from individuals, businesses, schools and other organizations”.
“They showed no regard for the livelihoods of members of the public, or the future of some businesses during the course of their actions”.