A court hearing has been held into an alleged conspiracy to launder nearly £180,000 from victims of fraud.
Detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate launched an investigation after receiving reports that trade customers had been tricked into paying money into the wrong bank accounts, having been contacted by criminals pretending to represent legitimate businesses.
A total of 10 victims from across the UK have so far been identified with the alleged offences being committed between January 2018 and December 2019.
Limar Atiera, 27, from Ramsgate; Mayowa Christopher, 29, of no fixed address; and Folaranmi Lawal, 29, from Greenwich, south-east London, have all since been charged with conspiracy to launder money. Mr Lawal was further charged with possessing items for use in fraud, namely a laptop computer and memory disk.
A hearing was held at Thanet Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 28 September 2023 where Mr Atiera and Mr Lawal were granted bail, and Mr Christopher was remanded in custody. The next hearing will be at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday 30 October.