Former Brookside actor jailed for £13.6m fraud scheme targeting aspiring models

National Trading Standards (NTS) has learned that a former Brookside actor who orchestrated a £13.6 million fraud that targeted young, aspiring models was serving an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence.

A network of phony modeling firms, led by Philip Foster, 49, who played the long-running British soap opera, sprang up to exploit the hopes of tens of thousands of young people. Foster and his associates deceived prospective models and their parents into paying a lot of money for what they were promised would be paid to do modeling work for more than eight years. These assurances were utterly false, and the victims received nothing in return.

Eight of his associates who were involved in the scam were sentenced in absentia on Friday at Sheffield Crown Court for conspiracy to defraud, and Foster, who was living in Marbella, Spain, at the time of the fraud. For the same offence and for additional charges relating to money laundering, these associates were given sentences. Foster carefully orchestrated the con, setting up fake modeling agencies and photography studios in cities like London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, and Nottingham through a network of accomplices based in the UK.

More than 6, 000 victims were targeted by the scam’s operation because they were allegedly luring into modeling success. Victims were invited for “free” test photoshoots after responding to advertisements on social media and at local photo studios. However, these photoshoots were meant to pressure models into paying for pricey portfolios, making them believe that purchasing these portfolios would determine their success in the modeling industry. They were informed that signing with an agency would be the only opportunity for them.

Many victims were forced to use payday loans or credit cards to purchase the pricey photos because they believed this would be their big break. However, the pictures they received were subpar and lacked any real promise of getting them into modeling. Foster’s phony operation persisted for years, driving substantial profits from it. The victims were left with empty hopes and unfulfilled promises in the meantime.

Foster, who profited from young people’s exploitative dreams, used the proceeds to buy expensive cars and watches. However, the victims’ psychological and financial burdens were severe. Some people experienced anxiety, depression, and financial hardship that lasted for a long time after they learned they had been defrauded, while others reported long-lasting distress, humiliation, and feelings of betrayal.

A number of people, including Foster’s associates, were involved in the fraudulent scheme. Jamie Peters, 52, received a suspended sentence for the same offence, and Michael Foster, 27, who was given a three-and-a-half year prison sentence for conspiring to defraud. Lisa Foster, 42, and Atif Qadar, 44, both of whom engaged in money laundering activities and hid the proceeds of their criminal activity, both received suspended sentences for the crimes.

Authorities had to look for the deceptive modeling agencies for a short while before they were disbanded and rebranded. They evaded paying taxes while laundering money was carried out by complicity on commercial flights to Spain using UK bank accounts or by operatives. Following a thorough six-year investigation led by NTS, which found the full scope of the fraud, the scam’s operation was finally discovered.

After the sentencing, NTS chairman Lord Bichard publicly criticized Foster’s actions and highlighted the victims’ severe emotional suffering and financial strains. Many were repaid after being encouraged to buy the portfolios, some using loans or credit agreements, but never receiving any legitimate modeling opportunities. According to Lord Bichard, “many of them have been left struggling with lasting emotional and financial scars,” and their aspirations of success have been squandered.

Local authorities have also contributed to the scam’s damage. North Yorkshire Council’s representative, Greg White, described it as “a heartless scam that snatched young people’s hopes into one of the most difficult industries.” Foster and his associates “made millions by exploiting the hopes of young people, leaving a trail of broken dreams and financial hardship,” according to City of York Council’s Jenny Kent.

The NTS has urged anyone looking for modeling jobs to be wary of scams. Contrary to what scams target vulnerable people, they never ask for money upfront.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of con artists who con a person’s dreams as they serve their sentences. Although some justice has been served, the victims’ financial and emotional burden may continue for many years.

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Source: Mirror