Former Brookside actor Philip Foster has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for masterminding a £13.6 million fraud that targeted more than 6,000 aspiring models. Foster, 49, who lives in Marbella, Spain, was sentenced in his absence at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday after being convicted of conspiracy to defraud.
The scam, which ran for over eight years, involved a network of sham modelling agencies and photography studios in cities including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry and Nottingham. Victims were lured by social media adverts and invited for 'free' test shoots, only to be pressured into paying for expensive portfolio photographs that never led to professional modelling work.
National Trading Standards (NTS) uncovered the fraud after a six-year investigation. NTS chair Lord Michael Bichard said Foster's 'cruel exploits left thousands of victims in serious debt, causing lasting emotional distress and significant financial pressures'. Foster used his share of the proceeds to buy high-end watches and cars, while many victims were left financially and emotionally devastated.
Eight associates were also sentenced for their roles. Michael Foster, 27, of Liverpool, was jailed for three and a half years, while others received suspended sentences. The fraudsters laundered money through UK bank accounts before transferring it to Spain or carrying cash on flights.
Councillor Greg White urged the public to remember that 'legitimate agencies don't ask for money upfront'. Jenny Kent of City of York Council added that Foster and his associates 'made millions by exploiting the hopes of young people, leaving a trail of broken dreams and financial hardship'.
