A conman who orchestrated fraudulent motor claims, received thousands of pounds in referral fees from a law firm, as well as compensation from insurers.

Hamid Sediqi, also known under various aliases including Kevin Heartbreak, carried out the fraud with two co-conspirators. They would open bank accounts using stolen IDs or fabricated details, in order to take out insurance policies with Aviva. One of the trio would pose as a policyholder, claiming they had been hit by another vehicle, while another would pretend to be the third party. The group would use photos of damaged cars taken from the internet as bogus evidence to the insurer. 

Sediqi cloned an existing claims management company to refer the claims to a personal injury law firm. The solicitors paid him £500 per motor claim and £700 for other claims. As well as receiving thousands of pounds in referral fees from the law firm, Sediqi also conned Aviva into paying out compensation for whiplash and other claims.

Police said Sediqi used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle which included buying a penthouse apartment in Gran Canaria and a number of "ostentatious" vehicles. 

Sediqi and his gang were busted when the real claims management company approached the PI law firm, requesting to collaborate, only to discover that the firm believed they already worked together.

“With accomplices in tow, Sediqi managed to fraudulently accrue nearly £245,000, targeting solicitors and insurance companies, and stealing the identities of companies and members of the public," said an officer for the police insurance fraud department. "The trio of criminals became tangled in a web of lies, which ultimately led to their downfall and the truth being exposed.”

An investigations manager at Aviva said: "Although Heartbreak may have believed his latest enterprise was beyond detection, he was wrong. I’m pleased that Aviva quickly uncovered the scale of his offending and the roles of those involved, and we will continue to fight fraud and prosecute offenders."