Partner who paid mortgage with twin’s drug money struck off

_{James (l), Paul (r), Rocky (front).}

A law firm partner has been struck off for helping his twin brother launder drug money through his mortgage payments.

The foolproof scheme cooked up by James Green and solicitor Paul Green, both 45, saw Paul Green convicted last year on charges of converting criminal property and conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation, and he was sentenced to 26 months in prison.

His sibling was sentenced to six years for the additional offences of dealing cannabis for nine years and concealing £340k of criminal property in cash, silver ingots, and watches.

James Green kept his treasure hoard in a rented storage unit which was discovered by a police dog in 2018. When the cash was sent for testing, it was found to be covered in cannabis residue.

James Green tossed 2kg of cannabis over the garden wall as he was arrested, then told police he earned his money legally as a life coach.

Police followed the money trail to a house in Southampton where the brothers lived, and which had been purchased by Paul.

Although Paul Green bought the property in his sole name and told Santander he would be the only person making payments on the mortgage, he did so knowing James would be contributing.

Benefiting from the high profit margins available to a prudent drug dealer, James Green paid off £50k of the mortgage in five years via transfers to Paul Green’s bank account.

Paul Green claimed he was unaware the money came from drug deals, which saw James selling an estimated 70 kilograms of cannabis between 2010 and 2019 to friends and acquaintances he knew through his work as a club promoter.

Sentencing the pair, Judge Henry said “it is clear from the somewhat triumphant messages between you” that when the mortgage was paid off ten years earlier than expected the house "would be transferred from James to Paul”.

Paul Green’s mortgage fraud began while he was an associate at Barlow Robbins and continued as he became a dispute resolution partner at Judge Sykes Frixou. Neither firm had any knowledge of his unique funding arrangements.

Referring to Paul Green’s pride in becoming a solicitor, Judge Henry said “sadly, by your criminal conduct, you have thrown all that away.”

In an agreed decision to strike him off, the SRA referred to the judge’s verdict that Paul Green had “no chance” of remaining in the profession.

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Comments

Rookie. Should have set up a barbers, car wash or launderette and put the proceeds through proper books.

Glad you note that the twins are ‘both’ 45

🫡

Always wondered what happened to the missing Mitchell brothers.

This picture is absolutely tremendous. Well done ROF.

... and we're absolutely sure that they're two different people?

That's disgusting...

He hoarded silver.

They should link up with the Hendron twins

If his brother had set up a Turkish barbers or a vape shop to put the proceeds through however, the police and HMRC conveniently wouldn't give a sh1t

In the second series Jimbo qualifies as a solicitor and Paul tries to deal drugs.

Well done to 11:46 for repeating 09:19.

Valuable input.

Any intel on the NQ whack at Judge Sykes Frixou?

How do I get one of these dogs that knows how to sniff out piles of money?

If only he had set up a Turkish barbers or a car wash or perhaps a launderette, those are excellent money laundering fronts and the police seldom seem to mind.

You know how in America they think it's totally normal to raise funds for womens causes by using a bikini carwash as a fundraising event?

Why haven't the UK's enterprising criminal masterminds ever put two and two together and thought to combine their illegal carwash money laundering businesses with their thriving people smuggling operations? You're wasting so much talent and financial opportunity having these people just sit around looking bored in nail bars and tanning salons.

What's the deal with that? Why don't they set these things up in the summer? It's a financial open goal.

Here's an original idea: if he'd set up a car wash, a launderette or a barbers - or even possibly a vape shop - he might not have attracted the attention of the police.

If only he'd bought a ladder house.

17.05: they do.

GO ON THE SAINTS!

Hedge End; heh. Quite a classy hood that side of the river.

I hope that he's learned his lesson here, next time he will be wise enough to set up either a laundrette, a turkish barbers, or a car wash.

That is far less likely to attract the attention of law enforcement bodies tasked with abating money laundering activity within the United Kingdom, such activities often evade their detection.