Taheer Sardar has today been sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment for perverting the course of justice at Southwark Crown Court. Mr Sardar pleaded guilty on 7 May 2024.
Mr Sardar was interviewed by the FCA as part of an investigation it was conducting into a sophisticated boiler room scam that had defrauded 120 investors of £1.3m. Three individuals, Mr Mirza, Mr Solaja and Mr Vickers were subsequently convicted and sentenced to 23 years for that fraud following prosecution by the FCA.
In his interview, Mr Sardar, acting with Mr Mirza, provided a forged document, which he claimed had been signed by 'Mohammed Khan'. Mr Sardar sought to use the document to bolster a defence raised by Raheel Mirza and Opeyemi Solaja, who had claimed – without evidence – that someone named 'Mohammed Khan' was the architect of the fraud they had been involved in.
The FCA did not find that Mr Sardar was involved in the fraud itself, but he provided the document in order to mislead the FCA.
At Mr Sardar’s sentencing on 10 May 2024, the Judge, Mr Recorder Gavaghan, remarked that:
'This was a sophisticated attempt using a forged document to undermine the course of justice…[it was] a very serious offence that strikes at the very core of the legal system.'
Steve Smart, joint Executive Director, Enforcement and Market Oversight at the FCA, said:
'Mr Sardar’s conviction and sentence, is a strong warning to anyone who may be tempted to try to help others escape justice - there is no stone we will leave unturned.
'Perverting the course of justice is a serious offence, and the FCA will not hesitate to take action when it identifies this has taken place.'
Notes to editors
- Taheer Sardar is from East London, date of birth 16 June 1978.
- Raheel Mirza was convicted of conspiracy to defraud and perverting the course of justice on 3 April 2023. He received an 18 month consecutive sentence for the perverting the course of justice offence (consecutive with the 8 years sentence for fraud).
- The facts concerning the conviction of Raheel Mirza on 3 April 2023 for perverting the course of justice were subject to reporting restrictions until the conclusion of the trial of Taheer Sardar. Perverting the course of justice is a serious criminal offence with a maximum sentence up to life imprisonment.
- Cameron Vickers, Raheel Mirza and Opeyemi Solaja were convicted[2] of conspiracy to defraud contrary to common law.
- Find out more information about the FCA.