Blackwater
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Illegal Pakistani immigrant father and son defrauded £50,000 with Western Union money transfer scam
A bankrupt Pakistani man and his son managed to set up a business and cheat their local community out of almost £50,000 despite being in the UK illegally, a court heard.
Siyed Asem, 58, and his son Syed Bukhari, 25, ran a corner shop and operated a Western Union money transfer service offering 'excellent rates' on transactions.
But more than 20 customers who used the service to send money to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, were left thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Asem came to the UK on a visitor's permit eight years ago and never left. His son was in the UK on a student permit which would not allow him to work or run a business.
Gloucester crown court heard that the service operated legitimately at first but the pair soon started stealing the money - which amounted to a total of £48,206.
One of their customers, retired Khadijabbi Mulla, lost £1,000 he requested to be transferred to India to pay for his operation there.
Prosecutor Lisa Hennessy said: 'He was told it would take 8 weeks, which would take him close to the date of his operation.
'When he got to India he still had not received the promised PIN number to access his money.
'He contacted a friend in Gloucester to ask him to complain and the message he got back was that he would get a refund when he got back.
Read more: Western Union money transfer scam: Illegal immigrant father and son defrauded £50,000 | Mail Online
A bankrupt Pakistani man and his son managed to set up a business and cheat their local community out of almost £50,000 despite being in the UK illegally, a court heard.
Siyed Asem, 58, and his son Syed Bukhari, 25, ran a corner shop and operated a Western Union money transfer service offering 'excellent rates' on transactions.
But more than 20 customers who used the service to send money to India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, were left thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Asem came to the UK on a visitor's permit eight years ago and never left. His son was in the UK on a student permit which would not allow him to work or run a business.
Gloucester crown court heard that the service operated legitimately at first but the pair soon started stealing the money - which amounted to a total of £48,206.
One of their customers, retired Khadijabbi Mulla, lost £1,000 he requested to be transferred to India to pay for his operation there.
Prosecutor Lisa Hennessy said: 'He was told it would take 8 weeks, which would take him close to the date of his operation.
'When he got to India he still had not received the promised PIN number to access his money.
'He contacted a friend in Gloucester to ask him to complain and the message he got back was that he would get a refund when he got back.
Read more: Western Union money transfer scam: Illegal immigrant father and son defrauded £50,000 | Mail Online
