An Ipswich solicitor who jumped bail and fled to Nigeria to escape mortgage fraud charges has been jailed for four years.

Ajayi Seun is a new and high-profile entrant to RollOnFriday's Dodgy Solicitor Top Trumps. The former solicitor made Crimewatch's list of the top ten most wanted fraudsters after skipping bail last year. But he returned to the UK and handed himself in, pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud for his part in a £5.5m mortgage scam, according to an EADT report.

The court was told that the fraud, which involved fictional identities and forged documents, saw £5.5m funnelled through the accounts of Seun's firm, Doves Solicitors. According to Judge Godwin borrowers were "badly stung" and lenders "massively defrauded".

     

It is alleged that the scam was orchestrated by Samuel Ajiboye, currently on the run in Nigeria, who according to Judge Godwin "needed a dishonest solicitor". And Seun fitted that bill. Jailing him for four years, the judge did not hold back, telling him "you are a disgrace and bring into disrepute your profession".

For a full round up of dodgy solicitors see the table below and if you've spotted one, you know where we are.

Name
Jurisdiction
Crime
Sentence
 Matthew Kluger, ex Skadden
 USA  Insider trading
 12 years
 Martin Weisberg, ex Bakers
 USA  $3m money laundering, securities fraud
 8 years expected
 Simon Morgan, ex Milners  England  Theft of £1.4 million  7 years
 Kevin Steele, ex Mishcon
 England  £18.4m conspiracy
 5 1/2 years
 Louise Martini, ex Williamson & Soden
 England  Theft of £1.7m
 5 years
Ajayi Seun, ex Doves Solicitors
 England  Fraud involving £5.5m
 4 years
 David O'Shea, ex O'Donovan
 Ireland  Theft of €779,000
 4 years
 Kenneth Hunt, ex Hunt Kidd
 England  Theft of £1m
 4 years
 Christopher Grierson, ex Lovells
 England  Theft of £1.3m
 3 years
 Barbara Gayton, ex Hunt Kidd
 England  Theft of £1m
 2 years
Andy Hodges, ex Fraser Brown/Challinors
 England  Theft of £70,000
 18 months
 Emma Rowsell, ex CC
 England  Theft of £63,000
 18 months
 Richard Simkin, ex Fulbright
 England  Theft of £100,000
 16 months
 Judie Groom, ex CC
 England  Theft of £23,000
 15 months
 Leonard Sawyer
 USA  Lewd acts
 180 days expected
 Partner who ran a red light, Hogan Lovells
 Dubai  Running a red light
 20 days
 Pissed trainee, Freshfields
 Dubai  Being pissed
 2 days

Tip Off ROF

Comments

Anonymous 14 September 12 18:26

How come that for everyone who has done something wrong, there is a photo of their 'murder face' waiting in the wings. My tip: smile in all your photos and you'll never get caught, but make sure the smile isn't an evil grin,

Roll On Friday 14 September 12 20:01

Is this list of dodgy solicitors meant to cover solicitors jailed this year only? If not, it is missing the infamous Marc Dreier who is currently doing 20 years? There was an eye-opening documentary on him last week
[a]http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01ml8gh/Storyville_20112012_The_750_Million_Thief/[/a]

Anonymous 18 September 12 12:56

Kate Johns:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/lawyer-guilty-of-conning-bank-out-of-millions-1806256.html