23 June 2025 saw Suleman sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment at Birmingham crown court. He was found guilty of entering into a money laundering arrangement and false accounting between January 2015 and November 2017.
Tarryn McCaffrey, specialist prosecutor for the CPS, said: “Through this money laundering operation, Suleman provided a financial lifeline to romance fraudsters who preyed on vulnerable individuals.
“Money launderers are the enablers who make crime profitable and sustainable for these criminal networks. Suleman wasn’t just moving money – he was facilitating the continued exploitation of vulnerable people, causing devastating emotional and financial harm.
“The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with the National Crime Agency to build a strong case and bring him to justice. We will be pursuing confiscation proceedings against the defendant to remove any available criminal benefits gained from this enterprise.”
Paul Boniface, NCA operations manager, said: “Romance fraud is a particularly cruel and malicious crime that results in victims paying out devastating sums of money.
“NCA officers worked tirelessly for multiple years to identify and dismantle this network, breaking the link between overseas criminals and the UK public. By targeting those who provide a service to fraudsters, we can stop them profiting from the misery they cause.”
Romance fraud
The romance fraudsters, believed to be based in West Africa, are said to have created multiple fake personas on dating websites to target victims, with many of those deceived being older, lonely, widowed or divorced.
After gaining victims’ trust and manufacturing what appeared to be genuine relationships, the fraudsters would manipulate the victims into transferring huge sums of money for various fabricated emergencies. The investigation identified 77 victims of the fraud.
Savanna Rags
Suleman ran the UK-based textile business, Savanna Rags, which collected second-hand clothing for export to West Africa. However, the investigation found that the company also served as a front to process fraudulent funds.
When victims were convinced to transfer money, the payments were directed through this company. To evade detection, when banks questioned suspicious transactions at Savanna Rags, Suleman doctored existing invoices, adding victims’ names to make them appear as legitimate business customers.
It’s estimated that at least £1.9 million was laundered by the defendant.
The CPS prosecution team built a case using evidence in the form of WhatsApp chat logs, victim testimonies, business records and falsified invoices.
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