David Spereall
BBC News
A money launderer who orchestrated an energy drink scam and evaded justice for 12 years has finally been sentenced.
Yasar Hussain fled the UK during his trial at Hull Crown Court in November 2012, living in Dubai under a false identity. He amassed over £312,000 by establishing a company that produced an energy drink resembling a well-known battery brand, without the necessary permissions, according to West Yorkshire Police.
The 43-year-old, originally from Bradford, received two consecutive six-month sentences at Grimsby Crown Court for failing to appear in court and for an unrelated dangerous driving offense. This adds to the seven-and-a-half-year sentence he received in absentia in January 2013 for 13 counts of money laundering.
Hussain, previously residing on Ashburnam Grove in Manningham, had traveled internationally, persuading four companies to pay advance fees for exclusive distribution rights in their regions. He absconded during his trial and was on the run until his arrest at Warsaw Airport in August.
According to a 2013 Crimewatch appeal, Hussain even attended a trade fair in Dubai with associates, deceiving representatives from companies in Hong Kong, Iran, Hungary, and the UAE using thousands of dummy cans of the drink to secure payments for exclusive rights. His business collapsed in August 2009, leaving victims unable to complain about the lack of product or seek refunds.