Tim Godfrey and Jennifer Newcomb secure convictions against bank employees for defrauding customers

News | Thu 5th Nov, 2015

Tim Godfrey and Jennifer Newcomb successfully prosecuted Santander bank employees Letitia Turay and Rahul Matharu for fraud offences, in a trial that lasted 3 weeks at the Central Criminal Court. The jury convicted both defendants on two counts of fraud. Mr Recorder Sells QC sentenced each Defendant to a suspended sentence of imprisonment. In his sentencing remarks, he said that banks hold the most confidential information of members of the public on the strict basis that it will be secure and safe and these bank employees had abused the position of strict trust they were put in by accessing customer details for criminal purposes.

The trial involved complex evidence concerning the bank’s computer systems and anti-fraud processes. Ms Turay accessed customer details which she had no legitimate reason to access in order to pass on sensitive information to criminal associates. Some of those customers were later defrauded while others had their details blocked by the bank to avoid future fraud. Her actions were captured in covert CCTV recordings. Mr Matharu processed a loan that he knew to be false, for financial gain, for a customer who knew nothing of the application and, until his complaint was upheld by the financial ombudsman, was held responsible for the loan repayments by the bank. Mr Matharu continued to access the customer’s details after the loan was processed with a view to further fraud.

In addition, a further Defendant, Kabir Nilmadhub (a businessman), was convicted and sentenced for money laundering. He played a significant role, acting as a conduit for the laundering of funds stolen from another customer of the bank. He allowed his business account to be used to pay the money into, after which it was quickly withdrawn and not recovered. He benefited financially as a result.