Jail for Brierfield money launderer caught in undercover police sting

A MAN who set up a company as a vehicle for fraud and to conceal the assets of other criminals has been jailed for eight and a half years.

Mohammed Khatana was described by a judge as a “determined, persistent and versatile professional criminal”.

He had set up a business known as POCA Consulting to help people facing proceeds of crime hearings.

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Preston Crown Court heard how an undercover officer got in contact, claiming to be the partner of a drug dealer abroad who was going to return and face a sentence, making it clear he wanted to keep hold of his money.

The female officer spoke of there being half a million pounds in play.

Khatana went on to be tried and convicted in relation to a money laundering charge.

The court heard his offending arose within a year of his licence running out, from an earlier four year jail term passed in 2004 for money laundering, thefts and obtaining money transfers by deception.

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The 51-year-old of Hawkswood Gardens, Brierfield, also faced sentencing for 15 charges of fraud, including making false representations to the legal services commission.

His case was said to involve around £44,000.

His 25-year-old daughter Maria, of the same address, had admitted four charges of fraud. Her offences were said to involve around £18,000.

She narrowly avoided being sent to jail and was given 12 months’ prison, suspended for 18 months, with supervision and an order to carry out 250 hours unpaid work.

The charges covered various periods, starting in December, 2008. Some related to dates last year.

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The first charge, which both admitted, involved false representations being made that they were in receipt of professional indemnity insurance.

Maria Khatana was said to have felt cultural and emotional pressure to do what her father wanted. She was brought shockingly to her senses when arrested and no longer wanted anything to do with him.

Judge Graham Knowles said he was satisfied the father’s plan, from the beginning, was that the business would be a vehicle for fraud, in the sense of inflated invoices, invoices for services rendered gratuitously.

Khatana had also hoped to attract business from criminals looking to hide their assets.

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He told him: “What you did was intended to undermine the whole process of confiscation, to undermine the course of justice, to wreck the kind of proceedings you are about to face for a second time.”

The judge said prisoners thought the defendant was doing them a favour, whereas in reality, he was doing himself one.

The judge added: “Everybody is entitled to justice and fairness and proper treatment in the courts and by those who advise them in connection with court proceedings.”

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