Immigration Scam nets £2.3M Confiscation Order

Three men jailed for their part in an immigration fraud have been ordered to pay confiscation orders, which total more than £2.3 million.  

Arumagan Kanageswaran, 56, Ponnudurai Puvanandaran, 52, and Harry Wilson, 48, were jailed in 2005 after they had pleaded guilty to 20 offences relating to obtaining leave to remain in the UK for people using false applications. It is believed that they have assisted more than 150 people illegally remain in the UK.  

The confiscation orders, obtained by London RART, are the largest granted in relation to Immigration offences.  

The three men were arrested as a result of an operation by the Metropolitan Police Op Maxim team and the South African police.
 
 Wilson travelled around the hotels of London and Zimbabwe looking for clients. He claimed that for £1,200 he was able to obtain documents from the Home Office allowing individuals to stay in the UK.  

With the help of Kanageswaran and Puvanandaran, Wilson made bogus applications to the Home Office to obtain visas based on the applicants claiming to be students at the London School of Accountancy in Tooting, South London.  

Kanageswaran and Puvanandaran then acted as references for the college confirming that the applicants were students.  

At Isleworth Crown court on Thursday 13th September, Wilson was told he had to pay £285,000 in one year or face a further four years in prison. Kanageswaran was ordered to pay £416,000 within 12 months or serve five years imprisonment in default. Puvanandaran was told to he must pay £1.6M within eighteen months or face eight years imprisonment.