Office Of The Immigration Services Commissioner
The OISC has been working with the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA), Home Office and Bedfordshire Police, to bring a fraudulent Immigration Adviser to justice.
The case has resulted in a seven and a half year jail term for Flora Mendes, a former solicitor based in Luton, for fraud and offering immigration services whilst unregulated.
The prison sentence follows investigations lasting several years involving the OISC, SRA, Home Office, and Bedfordshire Police.
Immigration Services Commissioner, John Tuckett, said:
I am proud of the role that our investigation has played in bringing about this conviction and prison sentence.
Fraudulent Immigration Advisers cause untold misery to vulnerable advice seekers, and we are determined to do everything in our power to stop them and bring them to justice.
Flora Mendes was initially convicted by the OISC on 4 counts of Section 91 offending. She was struck off by the SRA and given a suspended prison sentence with a dismissed appeal. However, she continued to make immigration applications despite having no license and operating from a fake address.
In 2018/2019 two further complaints were received by the OISC. Bedfordshire Police decided to prosecute and the OISC, together with the Home Office, provided evidence to assist the enquiry.
Mendes was charged with fraud by false representation and Section 91 offences, Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Her trial took place in February this year; she pleaded guilty to the offences.
The Home Office seized assets from Ms Mendes, totalling over 700,000 following her c