Dominic Ayo Williams, 37, of Brackley Road, Bromley, made 27 fraudulent claims between March 2020 and September 2021, exploiting the COVID-19 travel chaos to pocket tens of thousands of pounds. On Monday, February 3, he was sentenced at the Old Bailey to two years in prison, suspended for 18 months.

Fraudulent Claims and Fake Documents

Williams falsely claimed he had been forced to cancel 14 holidays due to COVID restrictions, securing payouts from major insurers AXA and Aviva. When AXA’s fraud team flagged inconsistencies in his claims, they discovered that the accommodation providers he cited had not cancelled his bookings—because he had never made them in the first place.

To cover up his crimes, Williams forged documents to substantiate his lies and attempted to hide an unspent fraud conviction from 2017, when he was jailed for two years under his former name, Ayodele Oladuti.

Detective Constable Dan Weller of City of London Police explained, “Williams systematically exploited the pandemic travel restrictions to make bogus insurance claims, defrauding companies out of tens of thousands of pounds.”

Police Investigation and Arrest

Authorities began investigating Williams after AXA suspected fraud. By examining his bank accounts, officers found that he had never booked the flights or hotels he had claimed. When confronted, Williams initially refused to cooperate, answering “No comment” in police interviews.

However, investigators uncovered further fraudulent claims, including £37,000 from Aviva for lost luxury items such as a Louis Vuitton bag, iPhone, Rolex, and AirPods. When police discovered his past fraud conviction, Williams attempted to deny involvement before eventually admitting his guilt.

Footage released by police shows the moment officers arrested Williams in November 2021. He was taken into custody and later charged with multiple counts of fraud.

Court Sentence and Serious Crime Prevention Order

At sentencing, the judge imposed a Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO) on Williams, restricting his financial activities for the next five years. Under the order, he must notify police if he:

• Opens a bank account
• Takes out an insurance policy
• Acquires more than one mobile phone or computer

Any breach of these conditions could result in a five-year prison sentence and an unlimited fine.

A further hearing is scheduled to determine how much of the stolen money can be recovered.

A History of Deception

Williams’ fraudulent schemes date back years. In 2017, under the name Ayodele Oladuti, he was convicted of seven counts of fraud while working as an estate agent. He photographed clients’ bank cards during house viewings, set up fake bank accounts and phone contracts, and later intercepted new bank cards and mobile phones.

After his release, he resurfaced under his new identity, launching his COVID-related travel scam.

Public Reaction and Police Warning

Following the sentencing, AXA and Aviva welcomed the conviction, with AXA’s fraud team emphasizing the importance of vigilance against sophisticated fraudsters.

City of London Police urged the public to be cautious of fraudulent claims and report any suspicious activity to Action Fraud.

Williams, now branded a serial fraudster, narrowly avoided immediate jail time, but police warn he remains under strict scrutiny.