Serial Fraudster Exploits Covid Chaos for Tens of Thousands
Dominic Ayo Williams, 37, from Bromley, conned major insurers out of huge sums by faking 27 holiday cancellations during the Covid travel meltdown. His scam ran from March 2020 to September 2021. Instead of immediate jail, on February 3 at the Old Bailey he got a two-year prison term – but it’s suspended for 18 months.
Faking Cancellations and Forging Documents
Williams claimed Covid restrictions forced him to cancel 14 holidays, scrounging payouts from AXA and Aviva. But AXA’s fraud squad smelt a rat. They found the hotels and flights he listed were never booked.
“Williams systematically exploited the pandemic travel restrictions to make bogus insurance claims, defrauding companies out of tens of thousands of pounds,” said Detective Constable Dan Weller of City of London Police.
To cover his tracks, Williams forged documents and tried to hide a previous fraud conviction from 2017, when he went by Ayodele Oladuti and did time for scamming clients as an estate agent.
Police Sniff Out the Scam
AXA’s alert triggered a police probe. Checking Williams’ bank accounts revealed no evidence of flights or hotels. He clammed up during interviews, replying only with “No comment”.
Deeper digging uncovered a £37,000 claim with Aviva for lost luxury items – including a Louis Vuitton bag, Rolex watch, iPhone and AirPods.
Eventually police arrested Williams in November 2021. Footage shows the moment he was taken into custody.
Judgment Day and Tough Restrictions
The court slapped Williams with a Serious Crime Prevention Order that will tie his financial moves for five years. He must inform police if he:
- Opens any bank account
- Take out an insurance policy
- Buys more than one mobile phone or computer
Breaking these rules risks a five-year jail term and an unlimited fine. A follow-up hearing will address recovering the stolen cash.
A Long Record of Conning
Williams’ crimes go back years. Under the name Ayodele Oladuti, he racked up seven fraud convictions in 2017. He tricked house-viewing clients into revealing bank card info, made fake bank accounts, intercepted new cards, and secured mobile contracts in their names.
After jail, he assumed the Williams identity and launched his Covid holiday scam.
Insurers and Police Sound the Alarm
Both AXA and Aviva praised the conviction and warned the public to stay alert against clever fraudsters.
The City of London Police urged anyone spotting dodgy claims to contact Action Fraud immediately.
Williams’ suspended sentence may have spared him prison for now, but cops say he’s firmly in their sights.
