Bogus immigration officer jailed for conning clients
A bogus immigration adviser who conned clients out of thousands of pounds has been jailed.
Safhir Majid, formerly a mortgage advisor, from Cradley Heath, who took thousands from unsuspecting members of the Pakistani community and had his victims intimidated, has been sentenced to 27 months in prison.
His partner, Shahid Ahmed Bhatti, a former businessman, of Great Barr, was given a 16 month sentence suspended for 24 months plus a victim surcharge.
Majid and Bhatti founded Empire Legal Solutions in Walsall, where they pretended to be qualified immigration advisers with Majid posing as a fake solicitor.
They then took cash from unsuspecting members of the public and provided poor advice – in one case £4,500 from a client.
Majid pleaded guilty to five counts of providing unqualified immigration advice and services and one count of fraud by false representation.
Bhatti pleaded guilty to one count of providing unqualified immigration advice and one count of fraud by false representation.
His Honour Judge Mayo said to Majid: “You posed as a lawyer, you knew you were not qualified”, and to Bhatti, “Your role was lesser but when required you were able to offer enforcement”.
“You bungled one application and as a result of your incompetence she faces removal from the UK. You threatened her husband and this is despicable behaviour, you threatened again in the case of other victims.
“Offences of this type prey on vulnerable people. Immigration relies on people being properly represented, you were incompetent and greedy. You have made a good deal of money from these frauds”.
Deputy Immigration Services commissioner Dr Ian Leigh said: “Safhir Majid and Shahid Ahmed Bhatti set up a criminal enterprise to provide immigration advice when they were not qualified or competent to do so.
“The degree of culpability is high, as is the harm they have caused. They owe a considerable amount of money to individuals, may have caused harm to unknown others and have undermined the immigration system.
“These are extremely serious offences. I am delighted with the outcome in this case.”
