A UK court has ordered an Indian origin man to pay a fine of over 28 million pounds. Presiding over a decade-long case of money laundering and conspiracy to defraud, the court ordered Bhadresh Gohil, a lawyer already convicted for money laundering in 2010, to pay over 28 million pounds or serve an additional six years in jail.
Gohil is believed to have benefited a sum of 42.4 million pounds out of which he had dispensable assets of 28.2 million pounds. Gohil worked for James Ibori, a Nigerian politician who served as the governor of Delta State in Nigeria. James used his power to steal millions of dollars from government funds and directed this money to offshore businesses and accounts. James has properties in London, Washington DC and Texas which all came from the stolen money. The court also ordered Ibori to pay 101 million pounds or serve an additional eight years.
Gohil employed a channel of offshore companies and accounts to launder the money Ibori harbored through criminal activity. He was also involved in hiding the criminal proceeds of his client and eventually defrauded the people of Delta State.
The confiscated funds will be returned to the Nigerian government which can later deploy the same for the benefit of people of Nigeria.
