A 47-year-old man from Ilford, Essex, has been sentenced to three years in prison for money laundering and theft after stealing more than £50,000 from a Birmingham-based charity.
Abdullah Muhammad Shakir Saqlain, also known as Saqlain Shakir, was found guilty of embezzling funds from Jamia Alfurqan Ltd, a registered charity. The theft occurred in 2018, and Saqlain was arrested in May 2019. The court heard that Saqlain had attempted to conceal his crime by using the bank account details of a deceased acquaintance.
During his police interview, Saqlain refused to cooperate, declining to provide the PIN to his phone and responding with “no comment” to all questions.
The conviction highlights the serious consequences of charity fraud and serves as a warning to those who exploit vulnerable organizations.