Holly Olugosi and her husband Isaiah Olugosi were the ringleaders of the gang
(Picture: Met Police)A predatory gang who used vulnerable young girls to commit fraud across the country have been likened to a modern-day Fagin plot from Oliver Twist.
Girls, aged 14 on average, were recruited, trained and trafficked as far as Devon or Glasgow to commit fraud in high street stores such as Boots and Tescos using fake receipts.
The girls would be ordered to place fake barcodes on high-value items like electric toothbrushes and razors to pay a much cheaper price, before later asking for a refund at the full price.
They stayed in hotels overnight before being trafficked along routes similar to County Lines methods used by drugs gangs.
Police said a typical day would include theft and fraud from over ten stores, making thousands of pounds per ‘route’ for the modern slavery gang based in London, Essex and Cambridge.
If they were caught they were abandoned by gang leaders wherever they were in the country.
Detectives were alerted to the nationwide scam when missing children from London were being found hundreds of miles from home.
By March 2020, the group, led by husband and wife Holly and Isaiah Olugosi had yielded approximately £500,000 in profits as a result of their large-scale fraud conspiracy.
Holly had splashed the cash on cosmetic surgery, tanning sessions, luxury holidays, Mercedes cars and even a £2,500 fridge.
The pair were eventually convicted at Snaresbrook Crown Court as well as assigned “team leaders” Eva Dambrauskaite, 21, from Buckhurst Hill and Baran Karamagara, 22, of Lordship Lane, Tottenham.
All four are due to appear at the same court for sentencing at a date yet to be confirmed.
Sergeant PJ Jones, of the Metropolitan Police's Predatory Offender Unit, said the victims were paid £50 for referring a friend into the gang, and in perks such as takeaway meals.
The girls were recruited because of their vulnerability, with many living in foster homes or suffering mental health problems.
Sgt Jones, said: “Olugosi and others were too cowardly to execute their own crimes, and actively recruited girls with obvious vulnerabilities.
“They embedded themselves through peer groups of vulnerable people using them to commit fraud and using their accounts to launder money.”
This is believed to be the first time the Modern Slavery Act has been applied to a fraud enterprise in UK law.
Marie Olo, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said:“Isaiah Olugosi recruited, coached and transported teenage girls around the country to commit refund fraud in High Street stores.
“Exploiting others for criminal gain is a serious criminal offence and wherever possible the CPS will work with police to help victims escape the clutches of modern slavery, while prosecuting the people who have pulled the strings.”
Two girls were arrested at one point but the prosecution service worked with police to advise no further action against them and evidence of their involvement was used against the gang.
