A Bradford money launderer who fled the country while he was standing trial has been sent to jail almost 12 years after he was convicted.
Yasar Hussain, was found guilty of 13 counts of money laundering and one count of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice in December 2012, following an investigation by West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit.
The charges related to £312,520.58 paid into business accounts owned by Hussain after he set up a company to manufacture an energy drink styled on the Duracell battery brand.
He had travelled overseas and persuaded four international companies to pay advance fees for the sole distribution rights to the drink in their respective countries.
But Hussain did not have Duracell’s permission to use their intellectual property and used the money to fund a lavish lifestyle.
During his trial at Hull Crown Court in November 2012, Hussain fled the country despite being bailed not to leave the court precinct.
West Yorkshire Police subsequently traced him to Dubai where he was using a false identity.
However, he was apprehended by Polish authorities in August this year after flying into Warsaw Airport from Dubai.
Hussain was extradited back to the UK last Wednesday (9/10) and appeared before Grimsby Crown Court in front of the original trial judge for sentencing on Thursday last week.
The 43-year-old, formerly of Ashburnam Grove, Manningham, had his original sentence of seven years and six months, handed down in his absence in January 2013, confirmed.
He was also given a further six-month sentence for failing to appear in court in relation to the original trial, and another six-month sentence for failing to appear in relation to an unrelated dangerous driving charge dating back to July 2009. Both additional sentences were ordered to run consecutively.
A further Proceeds of Crime Act order in relation to the £300,000 will be heard before magistrates at a later date.
Speaking after the court hearing, David Charity, Financial Investigations Manager at West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “Hussain thought he could evade justice by leaving the country in the middle of his original trial, but he was sentenced in his absence and I’m pleased that, thanks to some great partnership working with overseas authorities, he was detained and brought back to this country where he can finally start serving a lengthy prison sentence.”
