Letting agency boss must repay almost £22k for fraudulent actions
More than £20,000 in ill-gotten gains will be repaid by the director of a Wolverhampton letting agency who was jailed for defrauding tenants.
After a trial Bhavander Singh Sanghera, of Walsall, was sentenced to 28 months in jail for fraud and banned from acting as a director of any business in 2022 for eight years relating to the operations of his property company.
He was prosecuted by Wolverhampton Council which found the defendant was the owner of two properties in Penn Road let by his EBS Property Limited, trading as Martin & Co Wolverhampton, where he was also the sole director.
In December 2012 one of the Penn Road tenants discovered a physical connection between their electricity and gas meters and the supply to the neighbouring property. Martin & Co falsely advised the tenant they were liable to pay for the neighbouring property’s utilities under the guise they had already been given a discounted rate in rent.
A contract falsified with forged signatures and a letter were produced containing stipulations for the payment of the neighbouring property’s utilities sanctioned by Sanghera, of Jesson Road, Highgate.
In the latest stage of the long-running case he returned to the city's crown Court on Tuesday for a proceeds of crime hearing where he was made subject to a confiscation order for £20,000 and must pay compensation to two victims.
Judge Michael Fowler said: "I'm asked to deal with you in what has been a complicated process which has taken up a great deal of court time over a number of years. It relates to the actions of the defendant Bhavander Singh Sanghera and his operating of a company called EBS Property that operated in that name and as a franchise for Martin & Co Estates Agents.
"It was the operation of that company that led to the prosecution.
"At the time he was director and effectively the manager. A number of people suffered at the hands of the company."
The judge said the available figure to be recouped was £20,000 plus compensation of £1,500 and £75 respectively in relation to two victims under the Fraud Act or 12 months imprisonment in default.
The court heard that a further hearing was due in June specifically relating to EBS Property itself which had pleaded guilty to two offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. This part of the proceedings also relates to a third victim.
Judge Fowler added that a combined cost order will be made at the next hearing. He adjourned the EBS matter for a liquidation report.
Sanghera, who has since served the the 28-month prison term, was present at the latest hearing.