FCA reports rise in middle-aged money mules as closures grow
The FCA says account closures for suspected money mule activity rose to 238,396 in 2025, with the sharpest increase among customers aged 40-49.
Category : Fraud
Ponzi scheme mastermind jailed for £1m TV alias fraud
James Gillingham, 38, who led a £1m Ponzi scheme using TV-inspired aliases and fake London offices, was jailed for five years and six months at Southwark Crown Court.
Danny Tommo arrested after Channel boat slashed
Anti-migrant protester Danny Tommo, real name Daniel Thomas, was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life after a boat carrying a rescue worker was slashed in the English Channel.
Community raises £5k to repair Alloa playpark torched by thugs
A community in Alloa has raised over £5,000 in 14 hours to repair a kids playpark torched by thugs. Police are treating the fire as wilful.
Plumber jailed for drug dealing after Southport riot
John O'Malley, 45, was jailed for three years and four months for selling cocaine from his van after his plumbing business collapsed following his violent disorder conviction.
New Brighton shop boss: vandalism 'feels like bullying'
The managing director of Rightway DIY in New Brighton says repeated graffiti attacks on the Victoria Road store feel like bullying, after every wall was sprayed overnight.
Wirral Trading Standards secures 23rd closure order in tobacco crackdown
Three Wirral convenience stores have been shut for three months after Trading Standards found illegal tobacco and vapes, bringing closure orders to 23 since December 2025.
Pensioners lose £51m to trusted fraudsters, police warn
People aged 70+ lost over £51m to fraud by abuse of position in 2025/26, with 80-89s hit hardest at £24m, police figures show.
Cannabis sweets and cakes sold online spark fears for kids
Cannabis-laced items mimicking popular sweets, drinks and cakes are being sold online in Scotland, prompting fears they are designed to appeal to children.
Conman's 'honest' book sparks fury from victims
Scotland's most callous conman Anthony Adams has published an autobiography, but victims say it's packed with lies and self-justification.
Gang jailed for Heathrow tear gas attack on passengers
Four men were jailed for a CS gas attack at Heathrow Airport that left passengers vomiting blood and caused major travel disruption.
Irish man held over 'Sponge Jobb' plot targeting twins
An Irish man accused of assisting a murder-for-hire plot targeting Merseyside twins remains in custody, with six of eight arrested suspects released and deported from Cyprus.
Sturgeon reported to police by SNP funds blogger Campbell
Nicola Sturgeon has been reported to Police Scotland for allegedly handling stolen goods, with the complaint made by blogger Stuart Campbell, known for his coverage of the SNP finances scandal.
Post Offices targeted in £500m dirty cash crackdown
Post Offices and high street shops face a £500m crackdown as 500 fraud-busters are hired to stop Russian-linked money laundering.
Salford van fraudster who sold unsafe vehicles sentenced
A Salford man who sold unsafe vans with fake service histories and clocked mileages during the pandemic has been sentenced for fraud, with compensation ordered for seven victims.
Billionaire Edmond Safra died in a fire started by his own nurse
Billionaire Edmond Safra died in a 1999 fire started by his nurse Ted Maher, who confessed to setting the blaze and stabbing himself to gain attention.
EncroChat bust: Gang leader jailed for 11 years after drug network exposed
Jamie Walsh, 37, was jailed for 11 years and 11 months after French authorities cracked EncroChat, exposing his drug network. He supplied 96kg of cannabis and 3.75kg of cocaine.
US diplomat flown out of UK over indecent images claims
A US diplomat has reportedly been flown out of Britain over allegations of possessing indecent images of children, without prior notification to British police.
US diplomat secretly flown out of UK over indecent images claims
US officials reportedly removed an American diplomat from the UK without telling police after he was accused of possessing indecent images of children.
HMRC warns Brits over tax detail scam in social media alert
HMRC has issued an urgent warning about online scammers offering financial rewards in exchange for tax details, urging people not to share personal information online.
Heathrow tear gas attack leaves passengers vomiting blood
Four men have admitted affray after a masked gang sprayed tear gas in a Heathrow Terminal 3 car park, leaving over 20 people needing treatment and five hospitalised.
Thornton man jailed after M57 stop uncovers £300k cash
Philip Aryeetey, 55, was jailed for three years after police found £299,440 in a padlocked suitcase under his car seat on the M57, plus cocaine and a taser at his home.
Prescot dad dies without knowing who murdered his son
Fred Ellison, father of Adam Ellison, who was stabbed in Prescot in 2017, has died. The ADAM Foundation is paused as the family grieves.
Scots pair banned over £15m vape tax scam
A Scots mum and a boxer imported over 350,000 vapes disguised as medical nebulisers in a £15 million tax evasion scheme, leading to nine-year director bans.
Agent who caught El Chapo reveals his lust for hookers and hits
US agent Eric Balliet, who helped capture El Chapo, reveals the kingpin's lust for young prostitutes, contract killings and Chinese takeaways.
Quishing parking scam: 1,386 caught out by fake QR codes
Motorists are warned about 'quishing' QR code parking scams, with cases rising from 100 in 2019 to 1,386 in 2025. Experts advise skipping QR codes, checking URLs, or paying cash.
Family's home set ablaze in mistaken identity arson attack
An innocent family could have been killed when their home was mistakenly targeted in an arson attack linked to a gang feud. The couple escaped but their home remains uninhabitable.
Reform UK faces scrutiny over foreign donation claims
The Metropolitan Police is investigating claims Reform UK may have broken donation rules after polling was allegedly paid for by a US company, prompting accusations of hypocrisy.
Met Police launch criminal probe into Reform UK after Channel 4 show
The Metropolitan Police has launched a criminal investigation into Reform UK over alleged donation rule breaches following an undercover Channel 4 report.
Mum's sentence increased after false rape claims
Stacey Sharples, 31, had her prison sentence increased by two-and-a-half years after the Court of Appeal ruled her original term for falsely accusing 10 men of rape was 'unduly lenient'.
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