Former Brookside actor Philip Foster has been jailed after defrauding aspiring models of £13.6 million through a network of sham modelling agencies. Foster ran the elaborate fraud from Spain, where he lived a lavish lifestyle funded by the proceeds, and was sentenced in his absence at Sheffield Crown Court to eight-and-a-half years in jail last year.
Six-year investigation uncovers widespread scam
More than 6,000 victims were made to pay large sums of money on the false promise of securing paid modelling work, according to a six-year investigation by National Trading Standards (NTS). The fake agencies exploited the dreams of aspiring young models and their parents for more than eight years.
Foster used a network of associates in England to operate the sham modelling agencies and photography studios in cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry and Nottingham. Victims responded to local photographic studio and social media advertising campaigns and received emails telling them they had potential.
Victims lured with free test shoots
They were then invited to a “free” test shoot at a photographic studio, a tactic used to extort money, NTS said. Victims were handed glossy brochures, told that other people like them had been successful and that they had passed their studio test. In order to join an agency, they were told they had to buy portfolio pictures from the studio, with some using credit deals arranged by the fraudsters to cover the costs, while others used expensive payday loans.
The victims received poor quality digital photographs in return, leaving them with no real chance of getting into the modelling industry. Victims told NTS they were left financially and emotionally devastated, feeling humiliated and betrayed.
Foster's son involved and alleged murder
Foster's son, Michael, was also involved in the scam and smuggled significant amounts of cash out to his dad in Spain. Foster remained on the run in Spain due to grief after the alleged murder of his son around Christmas 2025 and the death of his wife in May this year.
Anthony Barraclough, defending, told the court: "His answer to why he did not [hand himself in] is that he was grieving. It was made even worse by the fact his son, Michael, was murdered around Christmas time last year. Spanish police has placed a secrecy act on the case and questioned him about it after his recent arrest."
Foster jumped bail when the allegations came to light and was convicted and sentenced in his absence in February last year. He was captured by officers from the Guardia Civil in Alicante, Spain, in September and extradited to the UK on October 8. He has since been held at HMP Wormwood Scrubs in London and appeared via video link for the sentencing hearing.
