Three men were sentenced to over 12 years in prison on January 29 after being convicted for an elaborate scam that targeted elderly individuals in Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, and Sussex. The fraudsters operated from Reading, stealing £116,000 in cash and £300,000 worth of jewelry from 27 victims between February and September 2021.
The criminals, who posed as police officers, contacted elderly people and falsely claimed that they had fallen victim to fraud or that staff at their local bank were under investigation. They convinced the victims to call 999 to verify the caller’s identity, but the fraudsters kept the line open, tricking the victims into thinking they were speaking with a real officer.
Once the victims were duped into believing they were in contact with the police, they were told to help with an investigation by withdrawing money for verification and fingerprint analysis. Some victims were also persuaded to give up their valuables, including expensive jewelry, under the guise of relocating them to a safe place. The scammers then sent couriers to collect the cash and jewelry.
Three members of the crime ring were sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on January 29. Faris Kayani, 30, of Ambrook Road, Reading, received a five-year and six-month sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud. Saqib Mahmood, 28, and Luc Williams, 24, both of Reading, were also sentenced to three years and seven months each after admitting to the same crime.
Other members of the group, including women, received lighter sentences. Sasha Weeks, 23, was sentenced to a suspended nine-month prison sentence for money laundering and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work. Leonnie Charles, 22, will be sentenced on April 3 for her role in the conspiracy. Victoria Mooney, 34, received a 10-month suspended sentence for money laundering.
This case highlights the dangers of fraud targeting vulnerable elderly people and the importance of vigilance against such scams.
