Seven defendants have been sentenced following a major investigation by South Wales Police into a fraudulent telephone-based insurance scam operating from the Swansea area.
Christopher John Surman (4 years), Omar Humayan Mapara (3 years), Wayne Ghosh (3 1/2 years) and Andrew Malcolm Patterson (3 1/2 years) received custodial sentences after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud.
They conspired to defraud mobile phone customers by calling them and selling false insurance policies.
Craig Pitman (8 months), Helen Leanne Lewis (6 months) and Craig Steven Odger (8 months) received suspended prison sentences after pleading guilty to carrying out a regulated activity when not being an authorised person.
Proceedings against Mark Rees and Christopher Davies, who were previously charged with fraud offences, were discontinued at an earlier court hearing.
During the investigation it was also established that Mapara had committed property investment frauds. He was subsequently charged with five additional offences of fraud to which he pleaded guilty to. He was sentenced to a further four years in prison.
Detective Inspector Dave Runnalls of the South Wales Police Economic Crime Unit said:
“This large-scale investigation into the fraudulent sale of mobile telephone insurance from a Swansea premises identified victims throughout the United Kingdom.
“It has been a long and complex criminal investigation over several years conducted by the South Wales Police Economic Crime Unit and the guilty pleas reflect the overwhelming amount of evidence gathered against the individuals concerned.”
South Wales Police worked with the Financial Conduct Authority, Carphone Warehouse, Phones 4U and alongside the Crown Prosecution Service complex case unit to bring the successful conclusion.
Detective Constable Amanda Mathias, of the Economic Crime Unit, added:
“Not only have we brought about this successful prosecution at court, we will now be instigating proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act, to ensure that no-one is able to profit from their criminal activity.”
