An Indian-origin man has been jailed for five years for money laundering, ending his months of life on the run from the law in the UK, during which the accused also sent mocking videos to the prosecution.
Nirmal Tanna had been convicted by a jury at Leicester Crown Court in September 2016 in his absence on money laundering charges dating back to 2012.
However, he remained on the run and even sent “mocking” messages to the prosecution team before he was arrested on New Year’s Eve on a European arrest warrant from Marbella in Spain.
Yesterday, Recorder David Herbert sentenced the 39-year-old to five years imprisonment for having received a “large sum of money in his bank account in 2012,” ‘Leicester Mercury’ newspaper reported.
In his ruling, Herbert said: “You sent mocking and taunting messages to the prosecution and showed contempt for the court, the police, prosecution counsel and the proceedings in general, to disrupt the court process.
“You emailed the police threatening to get someone to kill the officer in the case and the prosecution counsel.” Among a number of taunting emails while on the run, Tanna attached a photograph of himself in front of the Swiss Alps, saying he had no intention of attending his trial relating to the 175,000 pounds of stolen cash in his bank account, the newspaper reported.
Tanna’s barrister, Mike McKeown, said his client had been suffering mental health difficulties at the time.
“He apologises for not being in the right frame of mind when the emails were sent. The money never left his bank account and can be returned. He’s offered an apologetic stance,” McKeown said.
During the trial, the jury was told a genuine London business received fake instructions to change their regular payment details to another business’s account, resulting in about 500,000 pounds being stolen – of which 175,000 pounds ended up in a bogus account called Tanna Land Investments.
The bank became suspicious and froze the account.
The police discovered the cash was stolen just as Tanna and his two co-defendants prepared to falsely convince a court to lift the bank’s restraining order.
The two co-accused, businessmen Kevin Hollyoake and Mark Percival, protested their innocence but were also found guilty and jailed for 18 months and 12 months respectively.
Percival’s sentence has been suspended for two years, with 150 hours of unpaid work.
Detective Constable Matthew Swift, from Leicester police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “This was a lengthy and complex investigation where individuals have tried to hide and legitimise the receipt of the Proceeds of Crime.
“I hope this sends out a clear message to those involved in criminality – specifically money laundering – that we can and will track down where possible criminal proceeds and those responsible.”
