HSBC Fraudster Jailed for Nearly £350k Money Laundering Scheme
Ti-to Ibn-Sheikh, 35, has been slammed with a three year and nine month jail sentence for creating fake identities to launder nearly £350,000 stolen from victims. The Shepherd’s Bush man used insider information from HSBC to open bogus accounts, Southwark Crown Court heard.
Cash Cleaned Through Fake Bank Accounts
The scam ran between May 2018 and December 2019, with victims losing a total of £342,000. Ibn-Sheikh set up the accounts using genuine identity documents, then crafted fake supporting papers to keep the scheme under wraps. Prosecutor Kelly Brocklehurst explained how the fraud worked:
“They obtained a genuine identity document and created fake supporting documents.”
At his arrest in December 2019, Ibn-Sheikh was caught with 12 iPhones, 10 bank cards under different names, and 14 fraudulent ID documents. The iPhones helped him manage multiple fake contacts to avoid detection.
Notorious Family Ties and Criminal Past
Born Mustafa Hamza Kamel, Ibn-Sheikh is the son of radical preacher Abu Hamza, once head of Finsbury Park Mosque and now serving a US life sentence for terrorism. His barrister Bill Evans revealed Ibn-Sheikh changed his name to escape the infamous family legacy:
“His father’s notoriety has caused him substantial difficulty. Several family members have changed their names as a result.”
Adding to his criminal record, Ibn-Sheikh was on licence during the HSBC scam, having served 12 years for kidnapping.
Judge Brands Ibn-Sheikh a Key Player in the Fraud
Defending his client’s role as just an account opener, Mr Evans claimed Ibn-Sheikh wasn’t the mastermind. But Judge Andrew Goymer wasn’t having it:
“This defendant played a leading role, not necessarily the leading role. He used considerable skill, ingenuity, and industry in this fraudulent scheme.”
Russell Tyner of the CPS slammed Ibn-Sheikh as an active participant in organised crime:
“These are not victimless crimes. The CPS will continue to work with law enforcement to bring money launderers to justice and recover ill-gotten gains.”
