After almost five years of investigations and prosecutions, a criminal ring that used an elaborate set-up to scam an estimated £2million from Transport for London (TfL) has been dismantled. According to TfL's latest audit and assurance report, nine people have been successfully convicted for conspiracy to defraud the city's transport authority.
The scammers offered people cheaper TfL fares they were not eligible for, by submitting fraudulent applications for child-rate Oyster cards. The cards tended to offer 50 per cent discounts on TfL services and free bus/tram travel as part of the 16+ Zip Oyster concessionary scheme. Over 60 social media accounts and pages advertised the scheme, which is believed to have started over five years ago - these have now been blocked or closed down.
In August 2018, a London Underground employee alerted TfL to the scam, which was investigated by TfL's in-house fraud team, then referred to the British Transport Police (BTP). Together, they blocked a total of 13,500 cards, showing the scale of the operation.
The fraudsters facilitated false Oyster applications (Image: Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
As a result of the investigation, ten people were arrested, nine were convicted (including prison sentences) and additional controls have been implemented in TfL's concessionary scheme applications.
TfL estimates "over £2million" of actual losses was likely, although the exact figure is difficult to quantify given the nature of the scheme. It has been awarded £68,000 of damages from the convicted.
In September 2020, Shaquille Moore was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for selling 16+ Zip Oyster photocards through social media under the alias ‘Ben Franklin’. He offered people false documents which allowed them to pass the age verification checks for applications.
He made over £35,000 from his criminality and is believed to have effectively facilitated up to £1million of lost revenue from TfL. In September 2022, Joshua Marchant was forced to wear an electronic tag and received a 26 week prison sentence suspended for a year for claiming fraudulent delay repay compensation over two years.
An elderly South London benefits fraudster who cheated taxpayers out of £1 million after falsely claiming to be paralysed for almost two decades has been jailed for 11 years. Emmanuel Bay, 68, claimed he needed the cash to pay for round the clock care but splurged the cash on building up a property portfolio worth over £1 million with his wife Nancy Bay Sloane, also 68.
Judge Michael Wood KC branded Mr Bay the “most dishonest man” he had ever come across while sentencing him last Friday (May 26) and condemned him for his “utterly despicable” behaviour. Mrs Bay Sloane, whom the judge described as a “Jekyll and Hyde” character was sentenced to four and a half years behind bars.
Mr Bay told Lambeth Council he had become bed-bound following a car accident in 1997 where he had suffered a serious head injury, which had also caused memory loss. He was paid almost half a million in direct payments by the council between 1999 and 2016. The handouts are intended to allow people to arrange their own care.
The couple's fraud was uncovered by a Lambeth Council team (Image: LDR Grainne Cuffe)
Over the same period Mr Bay received around £300,000 from the government’s independent living fund, money which is meant to help disabled people manage their condition.
He also falsely claimed £90,482 in disability living allowance, £70,017 in incapacity benefit and £12,568 in living cost support from the Department for Work and Pensions.
Mr Bay received a further £10,611 in Universal Credit between 2018 and 2019, on top of £700 support from Lambeth Council for housing costs.
Meanwhile the couple were building up a five-strong property portfolio across South London, including four-bed 90 Sudbourne Road in Brixton which Mr Bay bought for £289,000 in 2001. On the mortgage application, Mr Bay said he was a self-employed IT consultant with an annual income of over £100,000.
Mrs Bay Sloane falsely claimed she had been renting council property, 74 Arlington Lodge in Brixton, since 1985 to get a right to buy discount of £38,000 on the flat when she bought it in 2001 for just £37,000. The couple kept a room in the two-bed property for Bay to use when he was visited by council employees carrying out checks.
Officials became suspicious Emmanuel Bay was lying about his condition during a series of visits to the Arlington Lodge property in 2015. During one visit his supposed carer, Bruno Matudi, 60, used a bear hug to lift Bay when he was asked to show how he would carry him around. On another occasion a visiting occupational therapist realised the lift wasn’t wide enough to fit a wheelchair, despite Bay claiming he used it to reach the second-floor flat.
Mr Matudi, who met Mr Bay while studying together at the Open University, was handed two suspended sentences totalling 24 months and ordered to do 100 hours of unpaid work. Judge Mr Wood KC said Bay was the “worst possible role model” Mr Matudi could have come across.
The three defendants were previously found guilty of offences under the Theft Act, Fraud Act and Forgery and Counterfeiting Act at Inner London Crown Court on March 6.
Sentencing Emmanuel Bay at Inner London Crown Court on May 26, Mr Wood KC said: “You had no insight at all into your offending. You showed not a shadow of remorse. You are an inveterate liar and I have quite honestly not a clue who you really are. I don't accept that you are Mr Emmanuel Bay Sloane.”
Mr Wood KC added: “In general terms all three of you were convicted on the most overwhelming evidence of extraordinarily mean and dishonest offences, plundering whatever you could from the state to your own advantage.”
Mr Wood KC went on to praise the Lambeth Council team who uncovered the fraud. Mr Bay and Mrs Bay Sloane have been served with deportation orders.
An astrology expert revealed which celebrities are the ‘most manipulative’ according to their zodiac signs. Nicolas Aujula, astrologist and past life therapist has given an insight into which signs of the zodiac are the most likely to get their own way, as well as those which could be considered the most cunning.
Unfortunately for those Leos, Taurus, Scorpios and Aquarius among us, they are the signs you’re least likely to be able to trust, according to Nicolas. Having analysed part of Bonusetu’s study on the most influential and acclaimed star signs, Nicolas revealed Taurus tend to be the most overlooked in pop culture, whilst Gemini received the most critical acclaim, reported WalesOnline.
The astrologist explained some zodiac signs are more predisposed to success than others, purely based on their influence, persuasiveness and pull in a group setting. Nicolas explains Leo, Scorpio or Taurus like to get their own way, as they are the three signs which are ‘by far’ the most persuasive.
Nicolas explained Leos are 'born leaders' (Image: WireImage)
He said: “Leo are born leaders that naturally take charge and exude confidence that makes people believe what they say. They’re commanding, charismatic, attention-seeking and often speak like a polished politician, meaning people are easily influenced by them."
Celebrities under the Leo star sign (July 23 to August 22) include Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle (August 4), billionaire Kylie Jenner (August 10), Mick Jagger (July 26), Jennifer Lawrence (August 15) and pop star Dua Lipa (August 22).
Other star signs high up in the list are Scorpio and Taurus. Nicolas explained: “Taurus are practical and stubborn, meaning it’s generally their way or the highway. As they are particularly astute when making financial decisions, they’re seen as aspirational to many, and so the people around them tend to follow their lead.”
Taurus are 'practical and stubborn' according to the astrologist (Image: Jae C. Hong/Invision/AP)
Celebrities under the Taurus star sign (April 20 - May 20) include Gigi Hadid (April 23), Lizzo (April 27), Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and David Beckham (May 2), Adele (May 5) and George Clooney (May 6).
He added: “Scorpio have a natural magnetism that draws people to them. Highly emotionally astute and able to read people, they’re capable of appealing to their peers’ vulnerabilities, and often play power games to get people to agree to their terms.”
Celebrities under the Scorpio star sign (October 23 - November 21) include Ryan Reynolds (October 23), Drake (October 24), Katy Perry (October 25), Bill Gates and Caitlyn Jenner (October 28), Kendall Jenner (November 3) and Kris Jenner (November 5).
On the other end of the scale, the zodiac signs that are comparative pushovers are apparently Pisces, Virgo and Gemini - whilst Libra and Capricorn are easily influenced by others if they feel they can score points among their peers by following the crowd.
Lizzo is a Taurus (Image: Jojo Korsh/BFA.com/REX/Shutterstock)
Star signs ranked from most to least manipulative:
Leo
Scorpio
Taurus
Aquarius
Cancer
Capricorn
Libra
Aries
Sagittarius
Gemini
Virgo
Pisces
Some signs are particularly adept at influencing others in specific situations, as Aujula says Cancer makes the best restaurant choices, Libra is best at picking out fashion or beauty products, and Aquarius knows where the funniest underground clubs are. Meanwhile, those looking to get away this summer might want to consult their Sagittarius friends for tips, as they’re reportedly the best at selecting a holiday destination.
This is based on an analysis of the last decade’s TIME100: Most Influential People of the year lists, which revealed one in ten acclaimed figures were Gemini, whilst - surprisingly - just five per cent were Taurus, making it the least-featured sign.
Speaking on the findings, a Bonusteu spokesperson said: “Although there’s much more that goes into being influential than when you were born, it is interesting to see that some star signs are significantly more likely to get their way than others.
“It’s particularly interesting that Gemini and Taurus sit on opposite ends of the scale in our analysis, despite their predispositions. And whilst this is just a bit of fun, it might prove inspiring to those who need a bit of a push to make moves in their social circles.”
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