Fraudsters Sentenced After Engaging EastEnders Star June Brown for Deceptive £1m Scheme

A group of individuals involved in home improvement fraud, who engaged EastEnders actress June Brown for promotional purposes, have received sentences for their fraudulent activities. Operating in Yorkshire and Derbyshire, the collective falsely asserted affiliation with a government energy efficiency program and is estimated to have defrauded victims of over £1m. Ms Brown, recognized for her portrayal of Dot Cotton in the BBC One soap, appeared in a television advertisement promoting their services. Lord Michael Bichard, Chairman of National Trading Standards, stated that the group had caused individuals to be “living in structurally unstable properties.” Trading Standards reported that the group employed fictitious names to conceal their real identities, obtained business through deceit, intentionally provided faulty services, and convinced clients to make significant deposits for inferior work. There is no indication that Ms Brown, who passed away in 2022, had knowledge of the group’s illicit operations. Zulkernan Mahmood, 36, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, and Rehan Yousaf, 47, also residing in Bradford, each pleaded guilty to fraudulent trading and involvement in a fraudulent enterprise. Jonathan O’Grady, 37, of Bridlington, East Yorkshire, was convicted of fraudulent trading and participating in a fraudulent business. David Goody, 54, from Bradford, admitted to participating in a fraudulent business. Sentencing for the defendants occurred at Leeds Crown Court on Friday, subsequent to an investigation conducted by Trading Standards officers operating under the auspices of York City Council. Lord Bichard commented: “These men left many people with extensive remedial works required at their homes; some were left living in structurally unstable properties with no viable means of repairing the damage done due to the financial losses they incurred.” Mahmood received a prison sentence of six years and four months, in addition to a 10-year criminal behaviour order and a 14-year disqualification from serving as a company director. Yousaf was given a two-year and six-month prison term, which is to be served consecutively with his ongoing sentence of seven years and 11 months. Furthermore, he was issued a 10-year criminal behaviour order and prohibited from acting as a company director for 12 years. O’Grady received a suspended sentence of two years, along with a directive to perform 220 hours of unpaid work. He was also disqualified from directorship for six years. Goody was mandated to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work and was disqualified from directorship for three years.