Gang jailed over pensioner phone scam suspected funding ISIS

[ENT]

Eight men from London have been jailed for a phone scam that defrauded UK pensioners out of more than £1m.

Police say some of the money funded travel from the UK to Syria. There are fears some of those who travelled had links to so-called Islamic State.





(Clockwise from top left): Makzhumi Abukar, Fahim Islam, Ahmed Ahmed and Anrul Islam


Gang leader Makzhumi Abukar was jailed for seven years and four months, alongside accomplices including former X Factor contestant Nathan Fagan-Gayle.

Some of the victims - the oldest of whom was 94 - lost as much as £130,000.
Passing sentence at the Old Bailey, Judge Anuja Dhir said that none of the convicted men had shown any genuine remorse.
She told the men their crimes would have a "devastating and lasting impact" on the victims, whose average age was 83.

Phone scam victim: 'My fears my savings went to Syria'
She praised detectives from Scotland Yard's counter terrorism command who brought the men to justice.
Speaking about the victims, the judge added: "I was struck by their dignity and their courage when giving evidence about a matter that was so obviously painful for them to relive."





(Clockwise from top left) Sakaria Aden, Mohamed Dahir, Nathan Fagan-Gayle and Yasser Abukar

The sentences were:
Makzhumi Abukar - seven years and four months for conspiracy to commit fraud
Sakaria Aden - six-and-a-half years for conspiracy to commit fraud
Fahim Islam - six years and three months for conspiracy to commit fraud
Yasser Abukar - six years for conspiracy to commit fraud
Ahmed Ahmed - four years and two months for conspiracy to commit fraud
Mohamed Dahir - 21 months for conspiracy to commit fraud
Nathan Fagan-Gayle - 20 months for money laundering
Anrul Islam - 16 months for money laundering and fraud
They will all serve half their sentences before being eligible for release on licence.
Fagan-Gayle received £20,000 from the scam and went on a spending spree.

During the scam, carried out across southern England, gang members phoned elderly victims and pretended to be police officers.
They told victims about suspected fraud at their banks and instructed them to withdraw money or transfer it to different accounts for "safe keeping".

In some cases this involved handing over cash to "couriers" - gang members who arrived at victims' houses on the pretence they were working for the police.

Many victims were deceived into lying to their family, friends and banks about what they were doing.

World War Two veteran Kenneth Whitaker, who fought at the Battle of Arnhem, was 93 at the time of the fraud.
He said he felt "dumb and stupid" after losing £113,000 to the fraudsters.

Barbara Davidson, 86, lost £14,000 which she had been planning to use to visit relatives in South Africa.
She now fears she will never see those family members again.

'Life savings'
The Metropolitan Police said about 140 frauds and attempted frauds were identified as part of the investigation - and more may have gone unreported by victims who were embarrassed by what had happened.

The force said officers found 16 telephone lines the group used to make 5,695 calls to 3,774 different numbers.

Commander Dean Haydon, head of the Met's counter-terrorism command, said he was pleased with the sentences given to the gang members.
He added: "They callously and systematically defrauded elderly people of their life savings.
"Had we not arrested them and put them before the courts, the group may have gone on to defraud many more victims across the UK."
Gang jailed over pensioner phone scam - BBC News

[taxexile]

One of these was resident in Jeremy Corbyns constituency and Corbyn in his infinite wisdom wrote a character reference for him in order to facilitate his bail.

[slackula]

If this bunch of eejits had stuck to ripping off the elderly like the utility companies, phone companies, Daily Mail and charities do then like as not they would have got away with it.

[hazz]

One of these was resident in Jeremy Corbyns constituency and Corbyn in his infinite wisdom wrote a character reference for him in order to facilitate his bail.

well there is a little issue that when one jails people awaiting trial who are then found to be innocent.... one is committing a rather serious injustice... a kind of legalised kidnapping. Really the only grounds for jailing someone at this stage in a trail would if there were ground for believing that the chap will continue to commit crimes, will run away or pervert the course of justice.

Did the chap that corbin vouched for commit further crimes whilst on bail, run away from judgement or intimidate witnesses? If he did then he has a serious case to answer.... If this chap attended court and did nto commit crimes.... well what e have here os a case of political spin.

one thing corbin should do is talk to the chaps mother and explain to her that his support for pre trial bail for evil toe rag of a son.... is not something she should use as a crutch to convince her self that the jury got it wrong.... and that perhaps her family should conider doing the right thing, take responcinity for their evil spawn, sell their assents and use it to compensate the victims. just sayin like

[hazz]

dupicate

[VocalNeal]

Worthless scum should be stoned?

[wasabi]

Deport them to a Syrian jail.

[pseudolus]

Indeed - give them to Assad .

[Dapper]

Nah fuck that, shoot 'em in the face.

[billy the kid]

If this bunch of eejits had stuck to ripping off the elderly like the utility companies, phone companies, Daily Mail and charities do then like as not they would have got away with it.

Shameful how they're allowed to get away with that hustling.
These guys will be out in a couple of years.
They said £1 million was taken but it could easily be £2 million.

If that had been a bank robbery they would have been looking at, at least 10 yrs.

[pseudolus]

Did Osborne scrap the savers’ tax breaks which applied to pensions? The pap press say this is robbing 34 BILLION pounds from pensioners which of course will hit the poor pensioners a lot harder than the well to do ones.

Some of this money will be going to Al Qaeda rebels in Syria.

Hmmm. Can we send osbourne to Assad as well? I'll pay for the flight.

[taxexile]

well there is a little issue that when one jails people awaiting trial who are then found to be innocent.... one is committing a rather serious injustice

they are bearded and and they are swarthy. how much more evidence does one need for gods sake.

[pseudolus]

Its a fair cop, Tax, that is enough for them to be guilty. Santa Clause after his summer jolly to Barbados ....same bracket as well.