Fraudsters con Luton Borough Council out of over £30,000 using spoof email

Fraudsters conned a council out of more than £30,000 after sending a spoof email, a court heard.

They asked Luton Borough Council to pay a contractor's bill of nearly £45,000 but the bank details were found to be an account controlled by a woman from London.

The fraud was only discovered when the genuine contractor asked why its invoice had not been paid.

The money had instead gone into the account of Azeezah Sule-Onosipe, Luton Crown Court was told.

She had used the money to clear £3,055.29 of credit card debt, sent £13,300 overseas and transferred £18,000 to Santander accounts belonging to other people.

Sule-Onosipe, of Atkins Court in Charlton in London, pleaded guilty to transferring criminal property and removing criminal property.

Defending her, Ciara Mcelvogue said: “She was contacted by a male she thought was a friend and taken advantage of.

“She was particularly vulnerable. She had been dealing with post-traumatic stress and taking medication for anxiety and depression.”

Sentencing Sule-Onosipe, Judge Steven Evans told her: “There was a financial advantage to you. I accept you weren’t the prime mover and other people persuaded you to be involved.

“The council lost £33,000. Taxpayers' money went abroad.”

Of the money that was paid out, £11,000 was frozen and recovered.

He sentenced her to a 12-month community order. She must attend 20 rehabilitation days and carry out 70 hours of unpaid work and pay £600 costs.

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