Travel Scammer Dodges Jail After Raking In Tens of Thousands
Dominic Ayo Williams, 37, from Bromley, exploited the COVID-19 travel chaos with 27 fake insurance claims. He pocketed tens of thousands of pounds by falsely cancelling holidays. On February 3, the Old Bailey slapped him with a two-year prison sentence—but suspended it for 18 months.
Fake Holidays, Fake Docs, Real Fraud
Williams claimed he cancelled 14 trips due to COVID restrictions, scoring payouts from major insurers AXA and Aviva. But AXA’s fraud team smelled something fishy. The hotels he named hadn’t cancelled bookings—they were never made. Williams even forged documents to back up his lies and tried to hide a 2017 fraud conviction under his old name, Ayodele Oladuti.
Detective Constable Dan Weller said, “Williams systematically exploited the pandemic travel restrictions to make bogus insurance claims, defrauding companies out of tens of thousands of pounds.”
Policing the Pandemic Fraud
Police launched a probe after AXA raised the alarm. Checking Williams’ bank accounts revealed he never booked the flights or hotels he claimed. Initially, Williams clammed up with “No comment” in interviews. But investigators found even more fraud, including a £37,000 claim from Aviva for stolen luxury goods like a Louis Vuitton bag, iPhone, Rolex, and AirPods.
Footage shows police nabbing Williams in November 2021. He was arrested and charged with multiple fraud counts.
Serious Crime Prevention Order Hits Hard
The judge slapped Williams with a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO), restricting his finances for five years. He must inform police if he:
- Opens a bank account
- Buys insurance
- Acquires more than one phone or computer
Breaking the order risks him five years behind bars and a hefty fine. There’s also a hearing coming up to try and claw back the stolen cash.
A Lifetime of Lies
Williams has a dodgy past. In 2017, as Ayodele Oladuti, he was jailed two years for seven counts of fraud. He snapped clients’ bank cards during house viewings, set up fake accounts, and intercepted bank cards and phones.
After his release, he returned under a new name and launched his COVID travel scam.
Police and Insurers Warn the Public
Both AXA and Aviva welcomed the conviction, urging the public to stay alert. City of London Police warned people to report suspicious claims to Action Fraud.
Williams escaped immediate jail time but remains under close watch as a serial fraudster.
