The boss of a former textile firm has been imprisoned for looting more than £ 1m from a sophisticated romance fraud operation.
Ahmed Ali Suleman appears that the legitimate business – Savanna Rags, which was located in the Mansfield of Nottinghamshire – collected the other hand clothes for export to West Africa.
However, the company also acted as a front to process fraud funds, Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
63 -year -old Chatsworth Drive at Mansfield, was sentenced to four years and three months in jail in Birmingham Crown Court on 23 June.
Between January 2015 and November 2017, Suleman exploited his position within the textile industry to mourn the money for international fraudsters.
Suleman, who was prosecuted after an investigation by the National Crime Agency (NCA), was found guilty of entering the money laundering system and false accounting.
The CPS stated that romance fraudsters considered located in West Africa, who create many fake personalities on dating websites to target the victims, many of which were old, alone, widows or divorced, CPS said.
The actual relations that appear after obtaining the trust and construction of the victims will manipulate the fraudulent victims to transfer huge amounts to various fabricated emergency situations.
The CPS said that many victims made many payments, reducing their life savings.
The investigation identified 77 victims of fraud.
When the victims were assured to transfer funds, payment was directed through Suleman’s company.
To avoid detection, when banks questioned the suspected transactions in Savanna Rags, Suleman mentioned existing invoices, adding them to the names of the victims to appear as legitimate business customers.
It is estimated that at least £ 1.9m was looted by the defendant, CPS said.
CPS expert prosecutor Terin McCfrey stated that Suleman “provided a financial lifeline for romance, who used to hunt on weak persons”.
He said that the CPS worked with the National Crime Agency and gave justice to the matter.
“We will chase the proceedings against the defendant to remove any available criminal benefits from this enterprise,” said Ms. McCapress.
Fraud Minister Lord Hanson said “Romance fraud is a terrible crime that can destroy life”.
After the fire in March 2023, Savannah Rags stopped the operation “with immediate effect”.
