UK Passport Fraud Gang Busted After 5-Year Scam
Anthony Beard, 61, and Christopher Zietek, 67, have been nailed in a huge crackdown on a passport scam that helped criminals dodge justice for years. The National Crime Agency (NCA) swooped after a covert surveillance operation uncovered the duo selling fraudulently obtained genuine passports (FOGs) to organised crime bosses.
£5,000 to £15,000 for Fake-Info Passports
The passports were real – but the applications were full of lies. Customers paid anywhere from £5,000 to £15,000 for these prized documents, allowing them to live abroad and keep breaking the law in the UK.
Operation Strey, launched in 2017, saw joint efforts by the NCA, UK police, and Dutch National Police. Since then, many fugitives carrying these dodgy passports have been arrested worldwide.
Mastermind Had Been Running Scam For 20 Years
Beard was the brains behind the operation. Experts believe he’d been organising these passports for at least two decades. He handled everything from gathering application forms to scripting the false info given by applicants and their counter-signatories. His fingerprints and handwriting were found on many forms. Voice recognition even caught him making calls to the Passport Office, pretending to be those applying.
“Beard, who pleaded guilty to fraud, is also tied to criminals like Jamie Acourt, Christy Kinahan, and weapons trafficker Richard Burdett,” NCA sources reveal.
Zietek, once known as Christopher McCormack and believed to be an Adams crime family enforcer, personally delivered some passports to undercover agents. Both men were arrested in October 2021.
Facing Serious Charges Over Passport Fraud and Money Laundering
They now face heavy charges including conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, conspiracy to create false documents (passports and ID), and money laundering.
Alan Thompson, 72, from Sutton, Surrey, was also convicted as part of the ring. He worked for Zietek driving him to shady meetings and even meeting Beard while Zietek was away. Police found a FOG passport and photos of customers at his home.
The NCA says this major bust has dealt a serious blow to organised crime’s ability to move around unnoticed.
