Perth property fraudster scammed Scottish Government and building society
A fraudster conned the Scottish Government and a top building society out of more than £130,000 to fraudulently buy property in Perth.
Raza Hussain produced fake bank statements and gave bogus income details to secure funding for a three-bedroom home in the city's Glengarry Road.
The 31-year-old appeared at Perth Sheriff Court and pled guilty to running a fraudulent scheme between July 1 and September 26 2019.
Court documents show Hussain fraudulently applied for a shared equity loan from the Scottish Government, as well as a loan from the Nationwide Building Society, as part of his scam.
He forged bank statements, provided false information about his income and made up details about his personal circumstances to secure the loans.
Hussain, who is from Perth, successfully obtained £48,300 from the Scottish Government plus £82,800 from the Nationwide.
He then used the funds to purchase the semi-detached home in the city's Craigie area.
According to online records, the house was last sold in October 2019 at a cost of £138,000.
Hussain, of Fairies Road, admitted the single charge when he appeared in the dock before Sheriff William Wood on Monday.
Fiscal depute Emma Farmer said the Crown will pursue money back from Hussain via Proceeds of Crime action.
He originally faced a much wider fraud allegation, involving a second property in Perth and one in Aberdeen.
It was alleged he obtained a loan from the Bank of Scotland to obtain a flat in the Granite City's School Road in 2013.
He was further charged with taking out a £101,600 loan from Santander to buy a house at Perth's Glenlochay Road in 2020.
Prosecutors accepted his not guilty pleas to both charges.
Sheriff Wood deferred sentence for background reports.
Full details of how the three month scam unfolded will be heard at the next hearing in June.
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