An organised crime group (OCG) was sentenced on 17 June 2021 at the Inner London Crown Court for committing a series of high value frauds totalling approximately £540,000 following a successful investigation by the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU), a specialist police unit sponsored by the banking and finance industry that investigates criminals responsible for fraud.  

The fraud took place between December 2018 and October 2020 and involved five individuals, Mr Christopher Parkins, 35, of Gravesend, Mr Nana Owusu, 34, of Harlow, Mr Edmund O'Brien, 54 and Mrs Adela O'Brien, 50, of Shoeburyness and Mr Justin Springer, 38, of Gravesend.

Parkins identified bank accounts to target and then created counterfeit driving licences and bank cards for those accounts. Parkins directed Owusu to drive Mr and Mrs O'Brien, whilst he drove Springer to various bank branches across England where they would use the counterfeit documents. The group targeted branches across Kent, Surrey, Bedfordshire, Sussex, London, Hampshire, Wiltshire, West Midlands, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire by falsely claiming to be the person on the ID document in order to make cash withdrawals or bank transfers to other beneficiary accounts.

The fraud was spotted by bank branch staff and referred to the DCPCU to investigate. DCPCU officers conducted the arrests and executed several search warrants at the criminals? addresses, finding a number of printers, laminators, and software to produce ID cards, counterfeit ID documents, cash, sim cards, phones, laptops, designer clothing and shoes.

 Jeremy Boxall, Detective Constable at the DCPCU, commented:?? 

?This criminal gang wrongfully thought they could get away with committing high value frauds by targeting bank branches across the country.?? 

?Fortunately,?we were able to detect these criminals by working closely with the banks to bring them to justice.

?This sentencing is a warning to those who believe they can benefit financially from fraud that they will be caught and punished.? 

Sentencing details 

Gang members 

Parkins received a three year and four months prison sentence for conspiracy to commit fraud and possession of articles for use in fraud.

Owusu received a two year and four months prison sentence for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation.

Springer received a one year and three months prison sentence suspended for two years and 180 hours unpaid work for fraud by false representation and possession of ID documents with improper intention.                              

Mr O'Brien received a one year and four months prison sentence suspended for two years for conspiracy to commit fraud. He has also been ordered to complete a drug rehabilitation programme for one year.

Mrs O'Brien committed further fraud whilst under investigation and received a one year and four months prison sentence suspended for two years for conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation. She has also been ordered to complete a drug rehabilitation programme for one year.

Contact Information

UK Finance Press Office
020 7416 6750
press@ukfinance.org.uk