The money laundering offences were born out of cyber-enabled payment diversion fraud activity that occurred between February and April 2017.
During this period, victims were defrauded cumulatively to the tune of more than £200,000. The fraud involved email accounts of victims in North Yorkshire and in London being compromised, and money transfers – including funds from the sale of a property on one particular occasion – being intercepted and diverted to fraudulent bank accounts.
From there, the stolen money was transferred through various personal bank accounts, with large sums also being spent or withdrawn including from banks and at a London casino.
These frauds were initially investigated separately by other police forces, before Hampshire’s ECU launched an investigation in March 2018 focusing on the business activities of two companies – St James BG Ltd in Hampshire, and St James Bank Ltd based in Mayfair, London.
During this investigation, in May 2018, the home address of 48-year-old Tyrone Christie (also known as Tyrone Trim) was searched under a warrant, and a computer was seized.
The examination of this computer unearthed documentation providing evidence of a ‘money-mule’ network, including invoices, letters and other relevant documentation in the names of individuals involved in the dissipation of funds from both frauds. Enquiries also established suspicious banking activity linked to Christie, involving large transfers and withdrawals of cash, dating back to 2016 – pre-dating the fraud.
Hampshire ECU’s lengthy investigation tracked the banking and payment activities, and a number of people were arrested and subsequently charged following enquiries.
The following two people were found guilty at Portsmouth Crown Court on Wednesday 3 May this year, at a trial which began on Monday 17 April:
- Tyrone Christie (also known as Tyrone Trim), aged 48, of Riverside Drive in Mitcham, Surrey, was found guilty of entering into or becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement between 13 July 2016 and 25 July 2017.
- Gareth Amaru Williams (also known as Gary Taylor), aged 57, of Manor Road in South Norwood, was found guilty of one count of entering into or becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement between 3 April 2017 and 2 June 2017, and one count of concealing, converting, disguising, or removing £100,134 of criminal property between 10 April 2017 and 19 April 2017.
Trim was bailed by the courts, and Williams was remanded in custody. A date for sentencing is yet to be fixed.
At previous hearings prior to this year’s trial, the following defendants pleaded guilty to offences:
- Rachel Stephanie Herd, aged 53, of Arctic Road in Cowes, Isle of Wight, pleaded guilty on 1 March this year to concealing, converting, disguising, or removing £111,339.60 of criminal property between 1 January 2017 and 9 May 2018.
- Fabian Nathaniel Thomas, aged 32, of Ashley Road in Bristol, pleaded guilty on 23 March this year to concealing, converting, disguising, or removing £20,000 of criminal property between 1 January 2017 and 9 May 2018.
They remain on bail awaiting sentence.
