Fraudster Jailed For Olympic-Sized Ticket Scam

A heartless Olympic scammer – who made €450,000 selling expensive non-existent tickets from two bogus websites – has been jailed for four years.

Amongst the victims, from twenty different countries, were the parents of Olympic competitors from France and Greece.

Christakis Ioannou, 44, (pictured) of Crantock Road, Catford was arrested at Gatwick Airport with €17,500 stuffed inside his shoes as he stepped off a flight from his Portugal hideaway.

The Metropolitan Police's Operation Podium Team discovered Ioannou wired his illicit profits to Portugeuse bank accounts, where he made cash withdrawls.

He pleaded guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to participating in a fraudulent business and possessing and concealing criminal property.

Ioannou set up two fake websites nearly a year before the the opening ceremony, which were designed to look like official sites, offering for sale unlimited numbers of tickets for all Olympic events.

Over 400 people, from around the world, tried to buy tickets for the Games from www.2012-londonsummergames.com and www.2012-londonsummergames.org.

In five weeks the sites took over €450,000 in sales for non existent tickets to the Olympics.

Detectives from Podium tracked the websites back to Ioannou, who was based in Portugal, and he was arrested when returning to the UK.

Evidence was taken from victims in over twenty countries around the world including the USA; Italy; Netherlands and Denmark.

Detective Superintendent Nick Downing said: “Ioannou was the first fraudster of this type we identified and the biggest.

“This case clearly shows that online crime of this nature is not a victimless crime.

“Over four hundred people missed out on a chance to be part of the London 2012 Olympic Games and instead were simply ripped off.

“Ioannou set up simple yet genuine looking sites, and made thousands within only five weeks.

“Podium were so concerned about people falling foul of his scam we issued a number of public warnings naming the sites to try prevent additional people from getting conned.

“Once someone had bought their tickets, at vastly over inflated prices, they never heard from the website of his company again.



”These sites were picked up as part of our proactive monitoring of the internet and referrals from LOCOG to spot and then prevent fraudsters like Ioannou from cashing in on the popularity of the Games.

“Three hundred and forty websites were identified in this way. 

“Never buy your tickets from anywhere but the official event organisers, or those people authorised to sell on their behalf.”

Operation Trident Police Seize Illegal Guns

Gangbusting cops have seized six firearms and made six arrests after co-ordianted raids across South London.

Operation Trident officers – who investigate violent black-on-black crime in the capital – executed search warrants at addresses in Southwark, Croydon and Sutton.

They seized a rifle (pictured), sawn-off shotgun and four handguns (one pictured) following the intelligence-led investigation.

Two seventeen year-old male youths, an eighteen year-old male, a twenty year-old male and a thirty-three year old man were arrested along with a 19 year-old woman.

All were taken into custody at various south London police stations and the firearms have been sent for forensic testing.

Detective Chief Superintendent Dean Haydon said: “Trident officers continually target the suppliers of lethal firearms, protecting the public by removing guns from the hands of organised criminals and gangs.

“The Met has seized over two hundred and eighty firearms and a large amount of ammunition from the streets of London this year alone.

“The number of shootings taking place in London has also significantly reduced, with twenty-eight per cent fewer incidents than last year.”

'Matrix' Knifeman Sent To Mental Hospital

A knife-wielding paranoid schizophrenic, who thought police officers he tried to stab were computer clones from hit movie 'The Matrix', has been sent to a secure psychiatric hospital indefinitely.

University graduate George Asare, 25, of Elsinore Road, Forest Hill, South East London survived being shot five times by armed police and tasered twice during the late-night confrontation.

A Croydon Crown Court jury found he committed the offences, but returned a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity yesterday.

Asare (pictured) was charged with attempting to inflict grievous bodily harm on three different officers; causing criminal damage to a neighbour's VW Polo and a police car and affray in the early hours of February 19.

He believed her was under satellite surveillance from his employer and a neighbour and lunged at the officers with a twelve-inch knife when police were called to a report of vandalism.

Prosecutor Mr. Peter Clement told the court: "The charges reflect a frightening episode that was potentially very hazardous to three police officers and potentially lethal to this defendant.

"Residents were woken by a loud and repeated banging coming from the road and they saw this defendant damaging a car belonging to one of the neighbours.

"He was seen to kick the car and climbed onto the bonnet and with a brick smashed the windscreen.

"They describe him as acting clearly out of character and the events of the next thirty minutes speak volumes as an event of acute mental illness on the part of this defendant."

Police Sergeant Ian Fearn and Inspector Mick Chatterton were the first officers on the scene and saw the hooded Asare standing in the middle of the road with his hands in his pockets.

The defendant said: "No" when asked to show his hands and walked towards PS Fearn.

"As he got close he took his left hand out of his pocket in which he held a large knife and lashed out in the area of the officer's abdomen and missed by inches only because the officer arched back.

"The officer ran backwards and the defendant chased him around the car and again lashed out with the weapon and fortunately PS Fearn avoided that by arching his torso for a second time.

"The defendant turned his attention to the Inspector and with the knife at shoulder height and the blade pointing towards the officer he lunged at Inspector Chatterton.

'It was clear the Inspector was the next target and the officer ran around the vehicle. but Mr. Asare continued to chase him with that knife.

"All the officers could do to avoid being stabbed was to run."

Asare then slashed the police car's seats and bonnet, ripped out dashboard equipment and kicked the side panels.

He walked home, but emerged moments later with two large knives and walked into nearby Stanstead Road.

By now armed police had arrived and ordered Asare to: "Drop the knives."

Two officers then shot Asare with electric tasters as he walked forward with a knife in eat hand.

"Despite hitting him the tasters had no apparent effect," explained Mr. Clement.

A firearms officer, identified only as N71, was close to Asare.

"Mr. Asare lashed out with one of his knives towards the officer's head and neck area and the officer, and one of his colleagues, fired.

"Mr. Asare was hit twice, but neither live round had any obvious effect and he remained standing and was shot again.

"He dropped to his knees and stood up, still holding the knives, and was shot two more times."

As Asare received first aid he said: "Tell my dad I am sorry. I want to die, just kill me."

Money Launderer Ordered To Pay Up

A transport boss, who helped launder some of the profits of a £6 million illicit veterinary medicine scam - Europe's largest ever - was ordered to pay over £25,000 today or go to prison for fourteen months.

Mark Harvey, 53, of  Hollyhurst, Wilsley Pound, Sissinghurst, Kent - boss of Paddock Wood-based Trans-Vitesse Ltd. - made £27,777 from the scam.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court last year to laundering £292,000 between September 1 2006 and January 12 2008 in relation to 'Eurovet' profits - a French-based company that illegally sold animal medicines in the UK.

The money was paid through a company he created and Harvey was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to perform 275 hours community service.

A Proceeds of Crime Act investigation revealed realisable assets belonging to Harvey totalling £26,273 and he has six months to pay the sum or go to prison.  

"He must have known it was an underhand business that was best kept as far away from the authorities as possible," announced Judge Nicholas Ainley when sentencing Harvey last year.

"He knew he was dealing with an illegitimate business enterprise and the illegitimate sale of veterinary products in the UK."

Harvey, whose freight company had a lucrative Formula One contract, ran into tax problems in 2006 and owed £41,000 VAT.

He was then introduced to 'Eurovet' boss Ronald Meddes, 73, who was a well-known local personality involved in local hunts and the horse community and agreed to get involved in the business.

Harvey became the company director of BEDRA and his wife Debbie the company secretary, but it was simply a front to funnel illegal UK profits to Meddes.

"We are talking here about millions of pounds," said Judge Ainley. "This business was turning over very substantial amounts of money indeed."

Illegal medicines were seized at Dover and Harvey's forged signature was discovered on paperwork, resulting in him being quizzed on April 3 2007 by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) at a motorway service station.

Despite this scare Harvey continued laundering criminal cash for Meddes who told him BEDRA would never file accounts and be struck-off the company register.

"There is no evidence Mr. Harvey had ever been involved in sharp practise before, but he was invited to enter in an underhand business and he knew it," ruled the Judge.

"He knew he was dealing with a crook prepared to forge his signature and use his company to transfer illicit veterinary products.

"He is in it up to his neck and permitted BEDRA to trade and launder money to the Meddes accounts."

The judge told Harvey: It was your fault you were overawed by an extremely dangerous, skilful and impressive conman. A man you wanted to work with.

"This is what happens when you involve yourself with criminals."

Immigrant Family Fleeced UK Of £4M In Benefits

Members of an African family, who masterminded an 18-year £4m plot to defraud immigration and DSS departments by creating and using a string of false identities, were sentenced today. 

"When the phrase 'family business' was used that was no cliche, that was a reality," commented Croydon Crown Court Judge Nicholas Ainley. "Sentences of imprisonment are inevitable in this case."

Ringleader Ruth Nabaguzi, 49, (pic.top l.) of Church Road, Forest Gate, East London was jailed for six years and landed the NHS with a £2,280,000 bill for HIV Aids medication alone by obtaining multiple quantities in different identities.

She pleaded guilty to a total of twenty-six charges.

Lamulah Sekiziyuvu, 36, (main pic. l.) of Palmerston Road, Manor Park received 30 months; Albert Kaidi, 27, (main pic. mid.) received 30 months; his partner, mother-of-two Jordan Sebutemba, 26, (main pic. r.) of South Esk Road, Forest Gate received a 12 month sentence, suspended for 2 years and Dennis Kyeyune, 29, (pic.top r.) of Mitcham Road, Mitcham received 30 months.

The jury found them guilty of conspiring to defraud immigration and DSS departments and other government departments between June 12, 1993 and September 9, 2011.

Kaidi alone was convicted of assisting unlawful immigration on or about September 24, 2006 and making a false statement to obtain jobseeker's allowance between March 26, 2009 and August 24, last year.

The prosecution have calculated the total loss at £3,950,000, which includes £154,000 in state education; £37,500 in higher education; £650,000 form a sub-letting scam involving properties in receipt of housing benefit and £900,000 in other benefits.

"This was a fraud on a huge scale an it is an outrageous abuse of the hospitality you were offered by this country when you came here in trouble," announced Judge Ainley.

"The identities you used and no doubt sold were then used by other people. You had no scruples in bringing children to this country and then involving them in your criminal pursuits.

"This was motivated entirely by greed. All these identities were, for you, valuable commodities."

Mathy Matumba, 50, (pic. bottom r.) received four years for a £350,000 benefit fraud using multiple id's and nurse Lina Katongola, 29, (pic. bottom l.) received one year. 

Another defendant, 31 year-old Eddie Semanda received 4 months, suspended for a year.

"This case is summarised in two words: 'Identity fraud.' It is at the heart of this case against these defendants," prosecutor Mr. Paul Raudnitz told the court.

"The allegation is that they conspired together and with others, in particular Ruth Nabaguzi, to systematically, use, create and exploit false identities to facilitate fraud.

"These identities were misused to facilitate benefit and immigration fraud."

Describing Nabaguzi as the plot's ringleader Mr. Raudnitz added: "She was at the heart of the conspiracy. She agreed with people to use false identities to facilitate fraud.

"Each defendant at different times joined the conspiracy, attaching themselves to the agreement at some stage and it's tentacles went far and would do so for many years."

The prosecution say Sekiziyuvu is either Nabaguzi's daughter or niece and Kyeyune is her son.

"She employed multiple different identities and her true identity may never be known," explained Mr. Raudnitz of Nabaguzi.

"All the defendants are either children of hers or related or associated with her."

During a police and UK Border Agency raid on an address in Mitcham Road, Mitcham on September 8, last year Kyeyune was arrested.

"Concealed in the shed roof in the back garden was a black holdall and inside was a vast array of passports and documents in multiple different identities.

"This was , in effect, a kit bag for identity fraud," said the prosecutor.

"Nabaguzi adopted and ruthlessly abused identities and obtained immigration status for herself in a number of different identities and for a number of other people and from them benefit claims would be made."

Drug Smuggler Had Cocaine In Laptop Bag Lining

A jobless Birmingham man, caught smuggling £80,000 worth of cocaine through Gatwick Airport in a bid to wipe out debts, was jailed for four years today.

Daron Omar Falconer, 31, of Abbotsford Avenue had just stepped off a flight from Jamaica when UK Border Agency staff found the cocaine paste hidden in the lining of a laptop bag.

He pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court (pictured) to importing 850 gms of the class A drug on March 19.

Falconer told officers he was acting “under duress” and was awaiting trial in custody when he decided to change his plea to guilty.

“He was a courier who was not going to share in the profits,” said Mr. Jeremy Lynn, defending.

“He was pressured into getting involved by a group of people in Birmingham who seemed to be friendly and helped him find accommodation and were relaxed as to when he paid the rent.

“He became indebted to them and was pressured into travelling to Jamaica, collecting a bag for them, and bringing it back into this country.”

The court heard Falconer has struggled with depression and has at times been “suicidal” and Judge Nicholas Ainley read a lengthy heartfelt letter from the defendant's wife.

“He is a total stranger to drug offending and this league of offending,” added Mr. Lynn.

“You know what you did and why you did it and you know the harm it has caused your family,” Judge Ainley told Falconer.

“I have to give you a sentence that will deter others.”

Falconer was given credit for the 225 days he has already spent on remand.

Landlady Jailed For Benefit Fraud

A benefit fraudster, who continued claiming £100,000 in hand-outs after inheriting her father's house - which she rented to her boyfriend - was jailed today.

Mother-of-two Melissa Urquhart, 34, of Widden Road, Stratford claimed income support and housing and council tax benefit at a property in Croydon for eight years.

The first-time offender, who dropped-out of a psychology degree course, also pocketed rent from her boyfriend, who was also claiming housing benefit.

Croydon Crown Court (pictured) was told it was a “very sophisticated fraud” which ran from 2003 to 2011 after Urquhart inherited the £240,000 East London property after the tragic hit-and-run death of her father.

In February 2009 investigators saw the defendant's name on a land registry document and she was quizzed in December 2010.

Judge Nicholas Ainley told Urquhart: “You ceased to be entitled to claim because you inherited a property and continued to make significant claims for benefits over eight years.

“You were privately renting it out and not letting it go to waste.”

Urquhart was sentenced to twelve months imprisonment.

Greedy Gold Prospectors Caught

The 'Goldfinger of Wallington' Frank Dickson sold four stolen gold bars for less than a quarter of their value – clocking-up his forty-sixth conviction.

The bars – worth nearly £5,000 – were the proceeds of a scam and their sale enraged the criminals behind the illegal purchase.

Apprentice window fitter Dickson, 28, of Barnard Close, Wallington pleaded guilty at Croydon Crown Court to converting criminal property, namely the gold bars, on June 25, last year.

Prosecutor Elizabeth Dean told the court online fraudsters hijacked an innocent man's identity to buy the bars for £4,971 from Baird & Co on June 21.

The fraudsters arranged to have the gold delivered via Royal Mail special delivery to an associate's address in Mitcham on June 25.

“The package was delivered to the address of Tim Lambert, who had been told by a friend to simply sign and look after it.

“Mr. Lambert opened it and found the four gold bars and believing it was his lucky day decided to sell the bars.”

He brought them to an address in Aitken Close, Mitcham, where Dickson agreed he could arrange a sale.

Dickson phoned a contact and sold the gold bars for £1140 – taking a £560 commission.

However, when the fraudsters threatened Lambert for their gold he was forced to go to police for his own safety and was later jailed for eight months for theft.

“You have a troubling record going back to when you were only twelve years of age,” Recorder Niall Quinn QC told Dickson, who has forty-five previous convictions and is currently serving a prison sentence

“You have a history of burglary and dishonesty, but you have made significant progress for the first time in your life with this apprenticeship.

“On this occasion it seems you certainly charged a fee that is more than Cash Converters would have done.”

Dickson was conditionally discharged for eighteen months, fined £50 with a £15 surcharge for failing to appear at an earlier hearing and ordered to pay £100 costs.

When released from his current sentence Dickson will remain under an existing suspended sentence that includes an alcohol treatment requirement.

ASDA Scammers' "Nice Little Earner"

L to R: Parsons, Baldock & Macaree

A greedy group of thieves exploited ASDA's new self-service system to repeatedly steal cash back from the automated machines - hitting the store 150 times in just six days - in a scam described by a judge as a "nice little earner."

They took turns to make tiny purchases with a bank card, but then requested £50 cash back each time, taking advantage of a security lapse, which failed to check whether the card was in credit.

ASDA's total loss was £7,500 and they have since changed the automated tills software to avoid anymore similar scams.

Ringleader Mark Baldock, 34, of Sydney Road, Sutton pleaded guilty to stealing £318; Tyron Parsons, 22, of Washington Road, Worcester Park admitted stealing £1,200; Keeley Macaree, 22, of Senga Road, Wallington admitted stealing £2,350 and Claire Collins, 28, of Kingston Avenue, Sutton admitted stealing £866.

Prosecutor Mr. Julius Capon told Croydon Crown Court that Baldock opened the account on November 22, last year and it was used for nothing other than the thefts, which took place between December 27 and January 3 in the Sutton area.

"Mr. Baldock was the prime mover and this group took advantage of vulnerabilities in ASDA's security and authorisation.

"When ASDA introduced electronic self-service tills they allowed cash back of up to ninety pounds without any authorisation.

"This group purchased very low priced items and requested cash back of fifty pounds and no checks were made to ensure there were funds in the account of the cardholder.

"Mr. Baldock allowed his account to become overdrawn and made no effort to pay it off. It was theft to just obtain the cash."

The gang were rounded up after ASDA and the police checked CCTV of the defendants repeatedly entering stores and withdrawing cash.

The Recorder of Croydon Warwick McKinnon said: "We are dealing here with a nice little criminal venture with repeated attempts to exploit this quirk in the system. This, on the face of it is organised crime.

"This is slightly easier than shoplifting. You get the money and leave and no one is going to stop you.

"Baldock was the driving force behind this nice little earner. He is the number one, whose brainchild this is."

Couple Baldock and Collins are serial shoplifters and she has thirty-six previous convictions, mostly for theft.

Parsons has forty-eight convictions and Keeley a record for alcohol-related offending.

Baldock was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment; Collins received a 12 month community order with drug rehabilitation; Parsons received 4 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months and Keeley an 18 month community order with an alcohol treatment requirement.

Solicitor Threw Bucket Of Dirty Water Over Neighbour

A solicitor involved in a plumbing dispute with her neighbour was convicted of assault after throwing a bucket of dirty water from a blocked sink over the shocked woman.

Victoria Herath, 56, (pictured) the managing director of Victoria & Co shouted: "You bitch, you bastard," out of her kitchen window as the neighbour passed by, Isleworth Crown Court heard.

The middle-aged victim, Abeba Berha, who lives directly above Herath in Brent Lea, Brentford told the court: "She came out with a bucket of water and just threw it over me.

"It was a big bucket and the corridor was flooded. I just screamed because I did not expect this.

"It was dirty water. How can someone throw it over someone else," added the sobbing Mrs Berha.

"She is always abusive and shouts at everybody. Once she waved a knife and the police came and told us to be careful.

"The way you act is not like a normal person," Mrs. Berha told Herath from the witness box.

In a statement to police the victim said: "I am very scared of the lady. She is terrorising my family and others in the block. Mrs Herath is an unpredictable lady."

Neighbour Elizabeth McLean immediately called the police after hearing the commotion in the communal hallway and told the appeal hearing: "Mrs Berha was standing in a huge puddle of horrible, dirty-looking water.

"She was scared and she said: 'There may be acid in this water.'

"There was an exchange of shouting between Mrs Berha's husband and son and Mrs Herath, who was shouting out of her kitchen window.

"I have heard her shouting so many times, shouting at numerous people over the past six years."

Herath has also complained about the witnesses two children and other youngsters playing in and around the block.

"You were harassing and intimidating my children for a long time," Miss McLean told the solicitor. "You have isolated yourself by shouting at everyone.

"You don't like to see people get on and have a good time and be a community.

"You shout out of your window at people just walking past. You don't want to be friends with anyone."

When police arrived Herath told them she was unhappy with a blocked drain and had to be handcuffed as she struggled with a WPC who wanted to prevent her making a call on her mobile phone.

Her suggestion that neighbours had conspired together to bring the allegation against her was dismissed along with the appeal against her assault conviction.

The original sentence of a £110 fine, plus £50 compensation to Mrs Berha, a £15 victim surcharge and £50 costs remains, plus an additional £310 costs order for the failed appeal.

Eleven Years For Extradited Sex Offender

A pensioner – extradited from Australia – was jailed for eleven years today for decades-old sex offences against four young girls when they were aged nine to sixteen years-old.

The crimes dated back to 1949 and 78 year-old ex-serviceman and miner Reginald Davies (pictured), who had emigrated down under, must have thought he had got away with it.

Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court heard Davies, now staying in Esbies Estate, Sawbridgeworth, was responsible for an “entrenched pattern of sustained sexual abuse.”

He denied, but was convicted of 13 of sixteen offences, against the girls in Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Wales.

Davies was extradited from Perth, where he had emigrated over twenty years ago.

The court heard he would lavish the girls with attention and "test the water" by asking them for a kiss, would touch their legs and then forced them into sexual acts.

Hanna Llewellyn-Waters, prosecuting, said: "The defendant nurtured a fear of disclosing the abuse in the complainants when they were children.

"He made them feel that they would not be believed, that they were to blame and, on occasion, he threatened that they would be removed from their parents if they were to report his abuse of them.

"As the complainants grew up, they tried to block the abuse from their minds in order to try to be able to continue with their lives."

He was arrested last July at his adopted home of Wanneroo on Australia's west coast.



The offences were investigated by specialist detectives from the Met’s Child Abuse Investigation team.



The jury heard Davies abused his victims while he was aged between 15 and 39.



He also told one of his victims she would be taken to a "naughty girl's home" if she spoke to anyone about the abuse, and she would never see her mother again.





Davies moved to Australia in 1974, but in 2008 two of his victims, whilst were holidaying in the country, decided to confront him and report him to the local authorities.



 In August 2010 the Met were granted an arrest warrant for Davies’ extradition and arrest.



On September 28, last year Davies was arrested by the Australian authorities and escorted onto an airplane bound for London where he was met by detectives at Heathrow Airport and charged.



Detective Inspector Tessa Philpott of the Child Abuse Investigation Command, said: 

”When Reginald Davies emigrated to Australia in 1974 he thought that he had left behind not only the UK, but also the horrendous catalogue of abuse he committed against four small children.

“I would imagine he thought his past would never catch up with him and he would never face justice, but thanks to the bravery of his victims, his past did catch up with him, and today he faces justice.

“I hope that this will go some way towards helping his victims whose lives have been blighted by him, to move forward in some small way.

“I also hope that his extradition from the other side of the world and conviction give other victims the confidence to come forward and report their experiences to the police.”

Davies was convicted of: attempted rape of a child under the age of 12, between1949 and 1953; indecent assault of a child under the age of 15, between 1949 and 1956.



Attempted rape of a child under the age of 12, during 1955; indecent assault of a child under the age of 14, between 1953 and 1957; indecent assault of a child under the age of 14, between 1953 and 1957.

Indecent assault of a child under the age of 14, between 1953 and 1957; indecent assault of a child under the age of 14, between 1953 and 1957; indecent assault of a child under the age of 14, between 1953 and 1957.

Indecent assault of a child under the age of 14, between 1953 and1957; inciting a child under the age of 12 to commit an act of gross indecency between 1965 and 1968; rape of a child under the age of 12, between 1968 and 1969.

Rape of a child under the age of 12, between 1970 and 1971 and indecent assault of a child under during 1973.

Ugandan £4m Benefits Plot: Nine Face Sentencing

L to R: Sekiziyuvu, Kaidi and Sebutemba

Four members of a Ugandan family, who masterminded an 18-year £4m plot to defraud immigration and DSS departments by creating and using a string of false identities, were convicted today.

"When the phrase 'family business' was used that was no cliche, that was a reality," commented Croydon Crown Court Judge Nicholas Ainley. "Sentences of imprisonment are inevitable in this case."

Ringleader Ruth Nabaguzi, 49, of Church Road, Forest Gate, East London landed the NHS with a £2,280,000 bill for HIV Aids medication alone by obtaining multiple quantities in different identities.

She already pleaded guilty to a total of twenty-six charges and remains in custody awaiting sentencing with a separate four defendants who have also admitted their role.

Convicted today were: Lamulah Sekiziyuvu, 36, of Palmerston Road, Manor Park; Albert Kaidi, 27, and mother-of-two Jordan Sebutemba, 26, both of South Esk Road, Forest Gate and Dennis Kyeyune, 29, of Mitcham Road, Mitcham. 

The jury found them guilty of conspiring to defraud immigration and DSS departments and other government departments between June 12, 1993 and September 9, 2011.

Kaidi alone was convicted of assisting unlawful immigration on or about September 24, 2006 and making a false statement to obtain jobseeker's allowance between March 26, 2009 and August 24, last year.

The prosecution have calculated the total loss at £3,950,000, which includes £154,000 in state education; £37,500 in higher education; £650,000 form a sub-letting scam involving properties in receipt of housing benefit and £900,000 in other benefits.

"This case is summarised in two words: 'Identity fraud.' It is at the heart of this case against these defendants," prosecutor Mr. Paul Raudnitz told the jury.

"The allegation is that they conspired together and with others, in particular Ruth Nabaguzi, to systematically, use, create and exploit false identities to facilitate fraud.

"These identities were misused to facilitate benefit and immigration fraud."

Describing Nabaguzi as the plot's ringleader Mr. Raudnitz added: "She was at the heart of the conspiracy. She agreed with people to use false identities to facilitate fraud.

"Each defendant at different times joined the conspiracy, attaching themselves to the agreement at some stage and it's tentacles went far and would do so for many years."

The prosecution say Sekiziyuvu is either Nabaguzi's daughter or niece and Kyeyune is her son.

"She employed multiple different identities and her true identity may never be known," explained Mr. Raudnitz of Nabaguzi.

"All the defendants are either children of hers or related or associated with her."

During a police and UK Border Agency raid on an address in Mitcham Road, Mitcham on September 8, last year Kyeyune was arrested.

"Concealed in the shed roof in the back garden was a black holdall and inside was a vast array of passports and documents in multiple different identities.

"This was, in effect, a kit bag for identity fraud," said the prosecutor.

"Nabaguzi adopted and ruthlessly abused identities and obtained immigration status for herself in a number of different identities and for a number of other people and from them benefit claims would be made."