Five individuals involved in laundering the proceeds of a £1.2 million computer scam have been sentenced to prison. The fraud primarily targeted elderly and vulnerable individuals, tricking them into paying thousands for non-existent IT issues.
Between May 2015 and November 2019, the gang transferred £1,289,837 to two brothers in India who posed as representatives of HP, Microsoft Norton, and Epson to defraud their victims.
The group included Amanda Grigg, 66, from Truro; Gena Harrington, 39, from Birmingham; Bindu Devasia, 49, from Kent; Nicholas Alcide, 40, from Birmingham; and Jose Kuriakose, 50, from Kent. They were sentenced at Leeds Crown Court.
Victims were falsely informed about computer problems that could be fixed for a fee and were persuaded to grant remote access to their devices. One victim alone paid £4,427.96, believing he was dealing with HP representatives.
The money was funneled through various companies set up by the gang before being sent to India. The investigation, led by the National Trading Standards eCrime Team, revealed the gang’s exploitative tactics targeting vulnerable populations.
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, condemned the gang’s actions, emphasizing that they profited from the misfortunes of others. He expressed hope that the sentences would deter future money launderers.
Microsoft’s cybersecurity general manager, Amy Hogan-Burney, welcomed the verdict, reaffirming the company’s commitment to combating tech support fraud.
Sentences included:
- Grigg: 3 years
- Kuriakose: 4 years and 2 months
- Harrington: 2 years and 6 months
- Devasia: 8 months (suspended for 2 years, 150 hours unpaid work)
- Alcide: 15 months (suspended for 2 years, 150 hours unpaid work)
All three main defendants were also disqualified from being company directors for six years.