Latest news with #CityofLondonPolice
Western Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Western Telegraph
Gang jailed for dealing cocaine to thousands of users in the City of London
The group, behind a line called Top Gear or City Gear, were sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday for selling the Class A drug between March 1 2022 and October 14 2023. Officers from City of London Police went through phone records to build a case against the gang, who ran one of the largest cocaine dealing operations in the Square Mile. Ledgers showed they racked up sales of 410 wraps of cocaine per week, worth more than £14,000. The drugs dealing line was originally set up during the Covid lockdowns and used the Top Gear logo on WhatsApp, City of London Police said. It was taken down after one member was arrested and police could begin analysing phone records. Detective Constable Matt Cooper said: 'This was a serious and sophisticated drug supply operation which would have resulted in large quantities of cocaine being sold over an extended period of time. 'This was one of the longest running and biggest cocaine lines in the City of London. 'We will continue to work tirelessly to disrupt and tackle serious and organised crime groups and these sentences demonstrate our commitment to putting criminals involved in drug lines and drug supply behind bars.' A still from body worn video footage of Redgrave getting out of his taxi as he was arrested. (City of London Police/PA) At Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, head of the gang Nathan Samuels, 57, of Cornwall Road, Waterloo, in central London, was jailed for nine years for the supply of cocaine. Three of the gang's couriers were also jailed for the supply of cocaine. Black cab driver Michael Redgrave, 56, also of Cornwall Road, was sentenced to two years and nine months; Aaron Bretao 43, of Skinner Street, Clerkenwell, central London, to three years; and Martin Gupta, 38, of Fairgreen Court, Barnet, north London, to four years and three months. Matthew Samuels, 33, of Rotherhithe New Road, Bermondsey, south-east London, admitted possession with intent to supply cannabis and being concerned in the supply of cannabis, and was found guilty of being involved in the supply of cocaine. He was sentenced to three-and-a-half-years in prison. Josh Atherton, 24, of Hemingford Road, Islington, north London, was given sentences suspended for two years, of two years for the supply of cocaine and four months for possession of a weapon for the discharge of a noxious liquid.
Metro
4 days ago
- Metro
Thief hides 76 bottles of stolen wine in wheelie bin and flees in tuk-tuk
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A tuk-tuk driver was caught on CCTV using a wheelie bin to steal 76 bottles of wine in thefts that amounted to £24,000. Iuliu Kubola broke into a restaurant in central London on May 6 before loading the haul into his pedicab and cycling away. The 61-year-old was arrested when a vigilant police officer recognised him as a person of interest following a police briefing. PC Jordan Felstead stopped the Islington resident outside a bar in the Cornhill financial heartland on June 22. After making enquiries with the City of London Police's Criminal Investigations Department, he discovered that Kubola was a suspect connected to a spate of burglaries. He had been seen on CCTV taking the bottles of wine, putting them into the bin and loading it into the back of his pedicab. Kubola returned to the Threadneedle Street restaurant on June 15 to steal a further three bottles, worth around £680. He went back four days later but left without taking anything. Det Con Marcus Fairclough, of the Criminal Investigation Department, said: 'Thanks to the good work by our officers, who spotted him and quickly made enquiries and the arrest, Iuliu Kubola will face the consequences of his criminality. 'Burglary has a significant impact on businesses and residential communities. 'We will attend all reports of break-ins in the city; giving us the best chance of making an arrest and collecting evidence from a scene. 'We will always take this type of criminality seriously and thoroughly investigate all evidential leads, including forensics, to bring those perpetrators to justice.' Kubola damaged an external door and locks, costing £1,425 to repair. Physical forensics manager Andrew Walker said: 'Our fast response is vital to maximise forensic opportunities and lessen the impact on the victims. 'Being burgled is horrendous; not being able to tidy up or open your business and resume trading exacerbates this massively. More Trending 'The victim is at the heart of everything we do. Delivering them justice, whilst minimising the impact that crime has on them, is the bedrock on which City of London Police Forensic Services operates.' City of London Police said it is one of the few forces where scenes of crimes officers go to every incident where forensics can be recovered and it does not screen out 'low level' crime. Kubola will be sentenced in September. Do you have a story you would like to share? Contact MORE: Greggs in top five stores plagued by shoplifting in new list released by police MORE: Poundland makes major change for staff to try and tackle crime in 800 stores MORE: Map reveals England and Wales' hardest hit areas in shoplifting 'epidemic'
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Tech geek student, 21, who sold phishing kits for fraudsters to scam victims out of £100million is jailed
A tech student who sold phishing kits for fraudsters to scam victims out of £100million has been jailed. Ollie Holman enjoyed a 'lavish lifestyle' as a result of selling the kits while victims, which included companies and charities across 24 countries, were targeted. The kits contained fake webpages to trick victims into sharing personal and financial information. The webpages, designed to look real, harvested information, including log-ins and bank details. The 21-year-old studying at Canterbury University shared the pages via Telegram, where he shared advice with others on how to commit fraud, Southwark Crown Court heard. Holman was arrested at his accommodation in October 2023. He admitted two counts of encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence, two of making or supplying articles for use in fraud and transferring, acquiring and possessing criminal property. He was jailed for seven years and made subject to a serious crime prevention order at Southwark Crown Court. The charges followed an investigation by the City of London Police, supported by police in Switzerland and Finland. Sarah Jennings, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'By creating and selling phishing kits, Ollie Holman facilitated a widespread fraud which others used to exploit innocent victims on a vast scale. 'Holman acted with greed and profited handsomely from this illegal enterprise, funding his own lavish lifestyle at the expense of countless individuals and businesses who suffered devastating financial losses and emotional harm. 'The prosecution team, working closely with City of London Police and international partners, was able to build a strong case with clear, compelling evidence, resulting in the defendant's guilty pleas. 'I hope this case sends a clear message to those intent on committing fraud: no matter how sophisticated your methods, you cannot hide behind online anonymity or encrypted platforms. 'Fraudsters like Holman will be robustly pursued by law enforcement, prosecuted by the CPS, and brought to justice.' Holman, of Eastcote, west London, will now face confiscation proceedings.
South Wales Argus
24-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Gang jailed for £6m investment scam that targeted more than 150 victims
Mastermind David Clarkson, 70, of Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, was sentenced to seven and a half years at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday having admitted conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing. The remaining defendants were all found guilty in March after a six-month trial and were also sentenced on Tuesday. The gang targeted mainly elderly victims aged between 60 and 90 with high-pressure sales tactics to push them into handing over money – one said she was 'hounded' into parting with her savings. They befriended some of the people they scammed, forged documents and impersonated insurance brokers in order to steal cash. The largest individual loss was £250,000. Lillian Milner, 57, of Sliven Clod Road, Rossendale, Lancashire, was jailed for five years and six months for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering, while her husband Graham Milner, 55, of the same address, received three years and six months for money laundering. The Sable website (City of London Police/PA) Another two men were jailed for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering – Mark Fallon, 60, of Haslingden Old Road, Rossendale, Lancashire, was sentenced to four years and six months; and Anthony Flaton, 39, of Beauclerk Green, Winchfield, Hampshire, was jailed for five years. David Clarkson's son Paul Clarkson, 46, of Shawbridge Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, for money laundering. City of London Police and bank staff managed to recover more than £2 million of the stolen money. One victim said in his impact statement: 'I have found it increasingly harder to face the day and rarely have a good night's sleep with difficulty finding the motivation to get on with the daily tasks at hand. 'Dealing with this case has been very overwhelming and mentally consuming, often leaving me feeling very depressed with a general loss of faith in humanity.' Lillian Milner bought herself a Porsche while many unsuspecting elderly victims lost their life savings. Lillian Milner's Porsche (City of London Police/PA) Detective Constable Jay Smith from City of London Police said: 'These fraudsters stole life savings from hundreds, abusing their trusted positions out of pure greed. 'Clarkson, in particular, showed no remorse – cloning a regulated insurer and impersonating the broker to trick victims and later forging medical documents to avoid trial. 'Faced with overwhelming evidence, he eventually pleaded guilty. 'I thank the victims and their families for their strength and co-operation, and we remember those who sadly passed during the process. I hope this result brings some comfort. 'We remain committed to pursuing those who abuse trust and exploit the vulnerable. Let this case be a warning: you will be found, prosecuted and convicted.' The police investigation was launched when suspicious payments were made by a company called Sable Intl Ltd to a newly formed law firm in August 2016. Sable claimed to invest in property, and opened a £3.5 million bond scheme offering fake returns of 7% to lure in victims. Police found that the trio behind the company, David Clarkson, Lillian Milner and Flaton, had links to an earlier investment scheme called Equitable Law Capital (ELC). In reality, none of the investments was genuine, with the trio using internet advertising, cold calling and company brochures to convince victims. Graham Milner and Paul Clarkson were appointed group directors of ELC when they had no relevant experience, and became involved in money laundering. A front company based in the Seychelles and Switzerland was used to disguise the fact the money had come from crime. Lillian Milner and Fallon, who was a solicitor, also used a newly set up law firm to launder money, with commission payments to Flaton going through an account in Mauritius. Both ELC and Sable went into administration and voluntary liquidation at the end of 2016, owing a total of more than £4 million.
Glasgow Times
24-07-2025
- Glasgow Times
Gang jailed for £6m investment scam that targeted more than 150 victims
Mastermind David Clarkson, 70, of Livesey Branch Road, Blackburn, was sentenced to seven and a half years at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday having admitted conspiracy to defraud, money laundering and perverting the course of justice at an earlier hearing. The remaining defendants were all found guilty in March after a six-month trial and were also sentenced on Tuesday. The gang targeted mainly elderly victims aged between 60 and 90 with high-pressure sales tactics to push them into handing over money – one said she was 'hounded' into parting with her savings. They befriended some of the people they scammed, forged documents and impersonated insurance brokers in order to steal cash. The largest individual loss was £250,000. Lillian Milner, 57, of Sliven Clod Road, Rossendale, Lancashire, was jailed for five years and six months for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering, while her husband Graham Milner, 55, of the same address, received three years and six months for money laundering. The Sable website (City of London Police/PA) Another two men were jailed for conspiracy to defraud and money laundering – Mark Fallon, 60, of Haslingden Old Road, Rossendale, Lancashire, was sentenced to four years and six months; and Anthony Flaton, 39, of Beauclerk Green, Winchfield, Hampshire, was jailed for five years. David Clarkson's son Paul Clarkson, 46, of Shawbridge Street, Clitheroe, Lancashire, was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid work, for money laundering. City of London Police and bank staff managed to recover more than £2 million of the stolen money. One victim said in his impact statement: 'I have found it increasingly harder to face the day and rarely have a good night's sleep with difficulty finding the motivation to get on with the daily tasks at hand. 'Dealing with this case has been very overwhelming and mentally consuming, often leaving me feeling very depressed with a general loss of faith in humanity.' Lillian Milner bought herself a Porsche while many unsuspecting elderly victims lost their life savings. Lillian Milner's Porsche (City of London Police/PA) Detective Constable Jay Smith from City of London Police said: 'These fraudsters stole life savings from hundreds, abusing their trusted positions out of pure greed. 'Clarkson, in particular, showed no remorse – cloning a regulated insurer and impersonating the broker to trick victims and later forging medical documents to avoid trial. 'Faced with overwhelming evidence, he eventually pleaded guilty. 'I thank the victims and their families for their strength and co-operation, and we remember those who sadly passed during the process. I hope this result brings some comfort. 'We remain committed to pursuing those who abuse trust and exploit the vulnerable. Let this case be a warning: you will be found, prosecuted and convicted.' The police investigation was launched when suspicious payments were made by a company called Sable Intl Ltd to a newly formed law firm in August 2016. Sable claimed to invest in property, and opened a £3.5 million bond scheme offering fake returns of 7% to lure in victims. Police found that the trio behind the company, David Clarkson, Lillian Milner and Flaton, had links to an earlier investment scheme called Equitable Law Capital (ELC). In reality, none of the investments was genuine, with the trio using internet advertising, cold calling and company brochures to convince victims. Graham Milner and Paul Clarkson were appointed group directors of ELC when they had no relevant experience, and became involved in money laundering. A front company based in the Seychelles and Switzerland was used to disguise the fact the money had come from crime. Lillian Milner and Fallon, who was a solicitor, also used a newly set up law firm to launder money, with commission payments to Flaton going through an account in Mauritius. Both ELC and Sable went into administration and voluntary liquidation at the end of 2016, owing a total of more than £4 million.
