North London gang sentenced following £1 million bank loan fraud case

Sentencing follows investigation and arrest by specialist banking industry sponsored police unit, the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU).

A group of criminals have been sentenced after they conspired to obtain 42 fraudulent loan applications, leading to a loss of approximately £1 million to a UK bank. Married couple Cebrail and Munube Polat, of Enfield North London, schemed with Ezzu Ahmet of Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, to de-fraud a bank via an unregulated company based in Wood Green called Bee Finance.

Polat and Polat were charged with conspiracy to make fraudulent representations along with bank staff Matthew Wood and Lawrence Taylor, both of North London.

Between May 2018 and August 2019 Polat, Polat and Ahmet conspired together to obtain fraudulent bank loans, making applications for the loans using false payslips.

The gang were sentenced on 27th July 2023 with Mr and Mrs Polat receiving seven and six-year sentences respectively, while Ahmet has been given a suspended two-year sentence.

Detective Constable Matthew Cornell who investigated the case for the DCPCU, commented:

These criminals thought they could get away with a large-scale fraud operation, stealing approximately one million pounds.

Fortunately, we were able to identify these individuals and put a stop to their criminal activity, after working closely with the banking and finance industry.

This sentencing will warn anyone who believes they can benefit financially from committing fraud, showing that they will be caught and brought to justice

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Notes to editor

For more information or to request any images, please contact the UK Finance press office on 0207 416 6750 or press@ukfinance.org.uk.

The Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU) is a unique proactive police unit, with a national remit, formed as a partnership between UK Finance, the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police together with the Home Office. It is fully sponsored by the banking and finance industry, with an on-going brief to investigate, target and, where appropriate, arrest and seek successful prosecution of offenders responsible for card, cheque and payment fraud crimes. It is headed up by a Detective Chief Inspector and comprises officers from the Metropolitan and City of London police forces who work alongside banking industry fraud investigators and support staff.

If you think you have become a victim of fraud you should contact your bank immediately. Please report it to Action Fraud at https://www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040. If you live in Scotland, please report directly to Police Scotland by calling 101.