Fraud cases soar in the region
FRAUD cases in the North West have rocketed by 76%, according KPMG’s latest Fraud Barometer.
The number of prosecutions went up from 29 in 2013 to 51 in 2014, figures released by the professional services firm today revealed.
Apart from the Lexi Holdings case, which alone inflated 2013’s figures by £104m, the value of fraud cases also increased year-on-year by 21% from £34.3m in 2013 to £31.6m.
Several high-profile cases the North West in the second half of 2014 included a Rochdale man who became one of the UK’s most wanted tax criminals for his role in a £28m plot to smuggle low-grade cigarettes and counterfeit tobacco into the country.
Four Burnley men were part of an international syndicate which stole €7m euros in EU carbon credits, which led to the temporary suspension of trade in the European market.
Two separate cases involved ex-professional footballers. The first saw former Wigan Athletic reserve team player Gabriel Edwards join a gang of cyber criminals to hack into bank accounts across the globe, stealing £130,000.
The second case saw a former Oldham Athletic player steal the identity of Chelsea and France star Gael Kakuta in a £163,000 scam.
KPMG head of Forensic, North, Martin Dougall, said the increase in fraud cases across the North West mirrored the national picture.
“Con artists are increasingly hiding behind the cloak of respectability in order to perpetrate their crimes,” he said.
“Our research suggests that victims are increasingly being targeted because of the vulnerability, rather than their value, with a number of recent cases revolving around rogue trading and fake investment opportunities.”
