Tenant-From-Hell Jailed For £58K Sub-Let Scam

A notorious tenant-from-hell, who defrauded a string of landlords in a two-year £58,000 serial sub-letting scam, which involved family homes being divided into bed-sits of mass occupation was jailed today.

Zimbabwe-born Rose Chimuka, 32, (pictured) duped owners of six South London properties into believing she was a respectable married mother-of-three, but as soon as she was handed the keys fitted locks to internal doors and rented them room-by-room.

Chimuka, of The Drive, Walthamstow pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to eleven counts of fraud committed between July 1, 2009 and June, last year by falsely representing she intended to reside at the addresses and falsely representing she was the landlady, with intent to gain.

She was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment and the prosecution will pursue confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

"She was a systematic fraudster out to make a gain for herself on a systematic large scale," said prosecutor Mr. Julian Jones. "She perpetrated a widespread fraud in South London in relation to the sub-letting of houses.

"These are not legitimate business arrangements because none of the money, except with some small exceptions, has gone back to the property owner and some of these frauds were committed while on bail for previous ones."

The houses involved are at: 5 Montague Avenue, Brockley; 299 Sydenham Road, South Norwood; 306 Green Lane, Norbury; 5 Grange Park Road, Thornton Heath; 4a Northampton Road, Croydon and 18 Penwortham Road, Streatham.

Further counts totalling approximately £27,000 were dropped after the prosecution lost contact with the tenants they needed to call as witnesses.

Chimuka used the aliases Rose Manzimay, Mary Manzimay, Amanda Nadacunda and Rose Nadacunda and used four different names to identify her supposed husband, who she claimed often worked away from home.

"The prosecution say that in each case there were common features," explained Mr. Jones. "There were false representations to landlords and letting agents that she intended to live at the properties even though she had no intention to do so.

"She also falsely represented to tenants she was the landlady of the properties and entitled to let the rooms when she was not."

The largest loss was suffered by Magda Szlenkier, who let her £800,000 family house in Brockley via Medics on the Move, when work took her to live in Hong Kong and Chimuka rented it to fifteen tenants.

"Chimuka came to the house alone, but we talked about her husband and schooling for her three children. I was very encouraged and was pleased to have a family rent my home where three of my own children had been born," said Mrs Szlenkier.

"After signing the tenancy agreement Chimuka placed ads in local shops advertising the rooms for rent and let them to a number of people and collected their deposits," said Mr. Jones.

After suffering twelve months with no income, plus legal and repair costs the prosecution estimate her loss at £42,119.

She has won a £15,000 civil judgement against Chimuka, but it is not known if any of this has been paid.

Some of the other landlords, who complain letting agents were only interested in collecting their commission, were shocked to discover from their local council their properties were now HMO's (Home of Multiple Occupation).

Every room was maximised for profit by Chimuka who turned lounges, dining rooms and living rooms into bed-sits.

Some landlords found their properties strewn with rubbish and in a filthy condition when finally reclaimed and often in need of repair and redecoration.

"Initially landlords and tenants who asked for police assistance were told it was a civil matter, but it is now presented as a criminal case because the prosecution say when you look at the whole picture the systematic criminal fraud emerges," said Mr. Jones.

Chimuka was arrested at least seven times and quizzed by police in Kennington, Battersea and Croydon before criminal charges were eventually brought.

During questioning the defendant consistently denied acting dishonestly, claiming she was a legitimate tenant struggling to meet the rent and only sub-let to satisfy the financial demands of her landlords.

One month after her first Crown Court appearance Chimuka rented 18 Penwortham Road, using an unsuspecting victim's bank details to secure the property.

"A card number was used on a faxed form to Foxton's belonging to another man giving authority to pay, but he had never given any permission," said Mr. Jones.

High-Rolling Broker Jailed For Fraud

A Bentley-driving mortgage broker, who enjoyed a champagne lifestyle in a £1m house, has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for a property scam.

Olakunle Okubote, 50, (pictured) of Broughton Avenue, Finchley, North London was targeted by the Territorial Policing Payback Unit.

He was identified in 2008 by the London Crime Squad and a financial investigation into him and his company - ‘First Channel’ – followed.

The mortgage broker assisted criminals to obtain mortgages, providing them with false documents and information.

He secured cash discounts on new builds, which he kept, with the knowledge of the conveyancing solicitors, which ranged between £10,000-£20,000 on each property.

The lenders and borrowers were unaware, resulting in the borrower obtaining a mortgage larger than the purchase price. 



He concealed his activities by transferring funds between bank accounts in various names and identities.

The documents were verified by other brokers, believed to be an attempt to conceal his involvement.



Okubote received £15,000 after securing a mortgage for Michael Kolawole, who received 18 years in America for drug trafficking.

Akin Olojo, 28, of Foyle Road, Tottenham was arrested by the Territorial Support Group, based in Finchley, in possession of about £2,000 cash. 



TSG Payback Unit started financial enquiries into Olojo's financial affairs and discovered that he had mortgages in two different names, one of which contained false employment and identity documents, brokered by Okubote.



Hertfordshire Police arrested two others in a connected prosecution, who had a mortgage brokered by Okubote.



All of these investigations were joined, and enquiries were undertaken into the mortgage broker's affairs. 



The conveyancers have been independently dealt with by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. 



Okubote, Kolawole and Olojo were convicted after a five-week trial at Wood Green Crown Court.

Kolawole, 51, of Winchester Close, Walworth received12 months and was ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a confiscation order is ongoing.



Olojo received a suspended sentence and was ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a confiscation order is ongoing.



Further civil proceedings are underway to remove all the other available assets from Okubote, whose assets are restrained.



Detective Sergeant Jason Aldridge said: “Olakunle Okubote was a confident criminal.

“I am pleased that the prosecution team were able to successfully conclude the criminal proceedings.

“We plan to take away all their available assets through confiscation and civil recovery to ensure that every available asset is taken away from these individuals.”

Cleaner Pocketed £41,000K Benefit Handout While Working

A cleaner, who pocketed up to £797 per fortnight secretly working during a £41,000 income support scam, was jailed for three-and-a-half months yesterday.

Single mum-of-two Nina Johnson, 51, of Gascoyne House, Gascoyne Road, Homerton, East London began claiming on June 22, 2004 as a lone parent not in employment.

However, it was discovered she had been working since September 18 the same year without declaring the income to the Department of work and Pensions.

This resulted in an overpayment of £41,743, which for the past year Johnson has been repaying at the rate of £10 per week.

She was questioned on July 9, 2010 and denied she had a job, claiming she was simply covering for a friend who was on holiday.

Johnson used her own name, national insurance number and date of birth to secure employment.

"People who take benefit they are not entitled to are stealing from the taxpayer," Recorder E. Arbuthnot told the tearful first-time offender at Southwark Crown Court (pictured).

Dealer Stole OAP's Antiques In £800K Swindle

A heartless antiques dealer – who fleeced elderly victims of their treasured possessions in an £800,000 scam – has been jailed for six years.

Jamie Goatley, 34, (pictured) of Mayfield Crescent, Brighton targeted pensioners all over South-West England, even persuading one gent to release the equity in his house.

He pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to ten counts of theft and fraud involving eight victims in Sussex, Wiltshire, Dorset and Gloucestershire.

Goatley posed as a legitimate antique dealer, offering to sell items on behalf of the victims, but either paid them nothing or a fraction of the price he received.

Officers from Westminster Economic and Complex Crime Unit began investigating Goatley from 2009 and he was arrested a total of four times, continuing to rip-off victims while on bail for similar offences.

Police also began a detailed financial investigation and froze many of the defendant’s assets.

Detective Sergeant Shaun Reardon said: “Goatley targeted some very vulnerable victims and had no qualms about using their treasured possessions to make large sums of money for himself.

“I hope this result gives his victims some comfort and they feel reassured that a custodial sentence of this nature means he will not be able to target anyone else in this way.”

G.P. Denies Catalogue Of Sexual Complaints Involving 9 Patients

A respected GP was allowed to subject nine female patients - aged 8 to 40 - to sexual abuse over a period of ten years despite a string of complaints at his South London surgery, a jury were told yesterday.

Senior practise partner Dr. Markandu Ragupathy, 61, the surgery's child protection leader, "Used his position of trust to satisfy his own sexual gratification and curiosity," said prosecutor Mr. Toby Fitzgerald.

From the mid-90's until 2007 the GP,(pic.top) of Den Close, Beckenham, was employed at the Torridon Road Medical Practice in Catford,(pic.bottom) where eight of the complainants say they were sexually assaulted.

"He would say there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication and this was accepted by the senior partner at the practise," Mr. Fitzgerald told Woolwich Crown Court.

"The defendant remained free at the practise to sexually assault other patients and believed the practise would accept any explanation and for some years he was correct in thinking this."

Dr. Ragupathy has pleaded not guilty to fifteen counts of indecent assault; one count of attempted indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault between 1995 and 2005.

"These assaults were carried out during what he purported to be medical examinations, but were for his own sexual gratification and often involved the patients breasts and vaginal area," added Mr. Fitgerald.

"The Crown say there was no clinical reason to carry out the examinations at all or they were carried out in a way that was not clinically justified."

Patient A, 40, went to the GP with a chest cough. "The defendant moved his hands around to her breasts and massaged them with the palms of his hands," said the prosecutor.

She returned, complaining of stomach cramps and thrush. "He asked her to open her legs and he put his finger inside her and started to move it around in a circular motion. She felt he was touching her in a sexual way."

Patient B, 16, saw Dr. Ragupathy with breathlessness. "He put the stethoscope on her left breast and massaged the breast with the stethoscope. She felt disturbed by how the defendant behaved."

Patient C, 20, saw the GP for a sore throat and later suspected tonsillitis. "The defendant touched her breast while listening to her chest with a stethoscope.

"During the second appointment he lifted her jumper and bra, exposing her left breast and lifted it with his hand and repeated with the right breast and said: 'Your chest if fine'."

Patient D, 8, had a chest infection when she attended an appointment with her mother.

"The defendant touched her inner thighs and between her legs and there was no good reason for this. He simply took his chance to touch her this way."

Patient E, 13, an asthmatic smoker saw the GP with a chest infection. "He would put his stethoscope on her nipple and caress her nipple."

Two years later she saw him again while pregnant and with flu symptoms. "The defendant locked the door and began to feel all over her breasts."

Patient F, 30, was wheezing when she saw the doctor. "He placed the stethoscope on her right breast and asked if she was in a relationship."

Patient G, 30, had a thigh rash. "The defendant pulled her knickers to one side. He just took the chance, which he saw as a sexual opportunity."

She returned with bruising inflicted by her boyfriend. "The defendant put his hands inside the waistband of her jeans and pulled them towards him and asked: 'What colour knickers have you got on?"

Patient H, 36, was three months pregnant when she saw Dr. Ragupathy for the first time.

"He announced he needed to check her breasts while holding out his cupped hands. He said he needed to check if she was able to breast feed,"

Patient I, 40, had a rash and was visited at home by the defendant, who was also employed by an out-of-hours service.

"The defendant asked her to sit on his lap so he could listen to her chest and later made a comment about making a woman of her.

"He then went to his car for some medical cream and rubbed it into her chest."

Dr. Ragupathy was arrested and questioned in March and December 2010.

"He denied sexually motivated contact with his patients," added Mr. Fitzgerald.

The trial is expected to last five weeks.

Summer Riots Masked Double Arsonist Jailed

An arsonist, who set two businesses ablaze – causing nearly £1.2m worth of damage – during last summer’s riots, has been locked-up for eight years.

Andrew Burls, 23, (pic.top) of Purdon House, Peckham was captured on CCTV and targeted by Operation Withern – the police team set-up to hunt down and arrest the rioters.

Officers examined hours of CCTV footage that captured events in the London Borough of Southwark.

They identified a group who moved through Peckham Town Centre on the afternoon and evening of Monday August 8, looting, damaging businesses and private property along the High Street and Rye Lane. 



One masked individual (Burls pic.mid.) was identified committing a number of offences.

During their investigation officers were able to link CCTV footage with witness accounts gathered at the time of the disorder and identified Burls as the suspect in the images. 



Footage shows him making the initial attack on the Iceland store in Rye Lane, smashing and removing a window before entering as part of a large group. 



A fire is then started by Burls at the Post Office, where he is seen placing burning material onto a pile of documents already knocked to the floor. 



Finally Burls is captured walking towards Regens clothing where he is seen brandishing a small yellow object, believed to be a cigarette lighter, shortly before the premises is engulfed in flames. 



The fire spread to Greggs the bakers next door, and the residential flats above which were occupied at the time with residents having to flee their homes. 



Detective Inspector Daniel O'Sullivan said: “Burls's actions during the disorder and criminality we saw in Southwark in August not only showed a complete disregard for the law and his own community, but a total disregard for the lives of the people who lived above the premises he recklessly set alight and the damage he has caused. 



“Today has seen the longest prison sentence given in relation to the disorder in Southwark, which reflects the seriousness of these offences. 



“It is due to the dedication of my team who have worked tirelessly to identify individuals from a huge volume of CCTV footage and those members of the public who valued their community enough to come forward and assist us, that Burls had no choice but plead guilty to these offences.

“Six months on from those events we are still pursuing those individuals and gangs who brought fear and mob mentality to our streets.” 



Officers executed a search warrant at Burls's home address on October 24 where he was arrested and a number of items seized which further linked him to those images.

He was charged the same day. 



At Inner London crown Court he pleaded guilty to arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered at Post Office, 199-201 Rye Lane, Peckham
and Regans Clothing, 193 Rye Lane, Peckham and burglary, with intent to steal, at Iceland, Rye Lane.

City Bank Employee Helped Himself To Customers Cash

A HSBC employee raided two accounts at the City branch he worked at out of over £4,000, claiming he had the customers' permission to dip into their accounts whenever he wanted to.

Mark Adam Shipp, 22, of Adelaide Close, Worthing, West Sussex used his staff number and password to transfer sums into his own account and was exposed by an internal probe.

He pleaded guilty at City of London Magistrates' Court today to stealing £2,950 from Noor Diab between June 28 and August 9, last year and stealing £1,350 from Mirco Relling on August 15.

Prosecutor Mrs Varinder Hayre told the court: "Mr. Shipp was working at the HSBC branch in Queen Victoria Street and on the second of September, last year there was a complaint from a customer that an unauthorised payment of nearly thirteen hundred pounds had been debited from his account.

"Enquiries revealed Mr. Shipp had used his staff number and password to transfer the sums to his personal account, but the defendant initially said there had to have been a mistake.

"Further investigations revealed three further payments had been credited to Mr. Shipp's account from another customer's, again using his staff number and password."

On September 27 Shipp (pictured) was quizzed by HSBC investigators.

"He claimed he had the verbal authority from the second victim to transfer money from her account," added Mrs Hayre.

"The fraud team met with her and she said she had never given authority to take money from her account."

The bank reported Shipp to police, who questioned the defendant twice.

"Again he said he had an arrangement and was allowed to take as much money as was needed and pay it back whenever he could.

"During the second interview Mr. Shipp said he did not know why he did it and was not that sort of person and had learned his lesson.

"He told police he had lost his job and was now an estate agent and did not want to jeopardise his new job.

"All monies have been reimbursed by Mr. Shipp to the bank," said Mrs Hayre.

Shipp was bailed unconditionally until March 5 for sentencing.

English Defence League Activist Jailed For Demo Violence

A notorious English Defence League activist – involved in violent incidents during organised demos – has been jailed for 14 months.

East Londoner John McAndrew, 29, (pictured) of Grange Road, Plaistow was also served with a Conviction Related Antisocial Behaviour Order (CRASBO) banning him from attending any EDL protests or Muslim-affiliated building or event for five years.

He was convicted of affray after throwing large stones onto the busy A4 dual carriageway during rush hour at an EDL demo outside West London Magistrates’ Court (pictured) on May 11, last year.

A month later during an EDL rally in Dagenham on June 18 he was part of a mob that assaulted two men connected to the demo.

McAndrew, who has several public order convictions, will also have to serve part of a suspended sentence for affray, which he breached during the demos.

Police Constable Mark Gellard, of the Barking and Dagenham Anti-Social Behaviour Team, said: “John McAndrew is an individual whose often violent behaviour is linked with his attendance at demonstrations and protests, particularly surrounding the English Defence League. 



“This behaviour affects those who live, work and frequent the areas where some of these demonstrations have taken place.

“I hope today’s Anti-Social Behaviour Order sends a clear message that police will take robust action against those who break the law under the guise of protest.”



The National Domestic Extremism Unit, a national policing unit, supported the application to impose an Anti-Social Behaviour Order upon conviction.



Detective Constable Alison Stuart, from the National Domestic Extremism Unit, said: “The right to protest is a fundamental part of a democratic society, and we seek to strike a balance between the rights of people to protest with the rights of the community to go about its daily business without excessive disruption.



“We have a duty to the wider public to take action against those individuals who have routinely exploited otherwise peaceful protests to create disorder, to prevent them from doing so in the future.”

Sweeney Hunt Bookie Bandits

Flying Squad police are hunting an armed duo who threatened staff at a North London bookmakers at gunpoint – before fleeing with a quantity of cash.

Two hooded men entered Bruce betting shop, Hertford Road, Enfield (pictured) at 2.25pm on February 11 and one remained at the door while his accomplice approached the counter.

He pointed a handgun at staff and demanded cash to be handed over.

The robbers then fled on foot, turning left out of the shop.

Detective Constable Andy Terry of the Flying Squad, said: “This was a busy area at a busy time of day and we are keen to hear from any witnesses.”



The men are described as black, aged 18-20 years, about 5ft 8ins or 5ft 9ins and both wearing dark jackets, hoods and gloves.



Anyone with information is asked to contact the Flying Squad on 020 8345 4226 or if you wish to remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Immigration Advisor Signed-On While Orchestrating Fraud

A bogus immigration advisor, who masterminded a large-scale plot to dupe the Home Office into doling out residency permit's to a string of unqualified applicants, has been jailed for seven years.

So successful was the scam - run from a South London one-bedroom flat - many of the clients, mostly from Sierra Leone, went onto legally obtain leave to remain in the U.K. and eventual full citizenship.

Jobless Sierra Leone refugee Winston Kabia, 45, of New Cross Road, New Cross created at least thirty companies while on the dole, which provided fake references and payslips to his clients.

The father-of-six was convicted by a Croydon Crown Court jury on seventeen counts of conspiracy to defraud the Home Office; two counts of giving unauthorised immigration advice and possessing twenty-three genuine identity documents.

Kabia was never properly registered with the Offices of the Immigration Services Commissioner while advising clients at the EU-funded South Thames African Welfare Association.

He helped non-EU immigrants obtain residency permits via marriage to non-UK EU citizens, who had to prove to the Home Office they were employed in this country.

"It seems he must have been at the heart of the conspiracy," announced Judge Nicholas Ainley.

"You were taking money from people trying to get into this country and settle illegally," he told the ex-human rights student. "There was to be a pretence those people were working for companies you set up.

"Wage slips that were bogus were provided and entirely false applications were made," added the judge. "You posed as a lawyer and had a solicitor's certificate hanging on your wall."

The prosecution will pursue confiscation proceedings, which include unexplained sums of £42,000 and £26,000 paid into Kabia's bank account while he was claiming benefits.

Prosecutor Miss Alexandra Felix had told the jury: "In each case the payslip and employment letter is from a company associated with this defendant.

"Those companies, according to HM Revenue and Customs, have no employees."

An Inland Revenue probe revealed Kabia's self-assessment form claimed he received no income between 2002 and 2004, but P.A.Y.E records proved he was paid a total of £39,000.

From 2004 onwards Kabia has claimed jobseekers allowance.

"The Crown says this defendant held himself out as someone permitted to provide immigration advice when he was not authorised to do so," added Miss Felix.

"He aided those not entitled to be in the UK to stay here.

"The fraud that was perpetrated was to obtain a residency permit. They were given a permit obtained fraudulently and were not entitled to be here.

"The fact the fraud was successful is demonstrated by the fact that many applicants became lawful naturalised citizens."

Police raided Kabia's flat in July 2008, December 2008 and January 2010, seizing evidence from a small office.

Kabia received full British citizenship in June 2004 and describes himself as a "social entrepreneur."

London Development Agency Scandal: Fraudster Jailed For £600,000 Scam

A fraudster, who swindled nearly £600,000 out of the taxpayer-funded London Development Agency during a five-year scam, was jailed for two years and eight months yesterday.

A total of 151 bogus applications were made on behalf of non-existent small businesses seeking finance and rubber-stamped by dishonest staff within the LDA.

Company director Marian Nelson-Addy, 44, of Blackmoor Gate, Furzton, Milton Keynes - boss of Track Record Services (TRS) - pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the LDA between April 1, 2003 and September 30, 2008 and conspiracy to money launder.

Her co-defendants, who were employed by the LDA, denied the plot and were acquitted after the prosecution against them collapsed last year.

TRS submitted applications on behalf of supposedly genuine businesses to the LDA for funding and received £250 if they were accepted plus £600 per day for up to five days for assisting the small firms.

However, a former Barclays Bank employee at the LDA noticed an incorrect address on a bank reference submitted by TRS on behalf of a business and an investigation was launched.

"No listings were found for the firms TRS had applied on behalf of, telephone calls were not answered and a total of eighteen different forged banks references were discovered," prosecutor Miss Alexandra Felix told Croydon Crown Court.

One address used for a bogus company turned out to be a Texaco petrol station and police discovered Nelson-Addy (pictured) would cut and paste company logos from the internet for use in creating forgeries.

She was even convicted of benefit fraud in 2010 for failing to disclose an insurance pay-out after the death of her husband.

A total of £594,000 was paid by the LDA to Nelson-Addy and when her bank account was restrained it contained £197,000. She claims the rest went to her co-defendants.

Police also restrained £37,000 in shares, a pension, her mortgage-free £340,000 house, her Mercedes car and confiscation proceedings will follow.

"The idea and the motivation came from the co-defendants who worked for the LDA," said Mr. Stephen Fiddler, defending. "She asks for compassion. It was not her idea."

Judge Nicholas Ainley said: "TRS was used to process these applications and the defendant was the sole director and bank account signatory.

"TRS made applications on behalf of small businesses that did not exist. In fact all their applications were almost overwhelmingly fraudulent.

"It is obvious she was not acting alone and when the applications were received they were approved by one person at the LDA.

"She was a very major player indeed and was central to the conspiracy. She was an enthusiastic participant who stood to gain so much.

"This was professionally planned and took place over a significant period of time."