Criminal sentenced after stealing £500,000 by fraudulently accessing bank accounts

A man from Suffolk has been sentenced to 4 years and 9 months at Ipswich Crown Court after stealing over £490,000 from bank customers after taking over their accounts by impersonating them.

The sentencing follows investigation and arrest by specialist banking industry sponsored police unit, the Dedicated Card and Payment Crime Unit (DCPCU).

Blessing Mudzinge, would make phone calls to banks and impersonate legitimate customers in order to steal customer information to access their accounts.

Once he gained access to these accounts, Mudzinge would steal customer funds by transferring them to mule accounts that he controlled.

Following a police investigation, officers were able to obtain a mobile phone belonging to Mudzinge which had details of victim’s accounts that he stole from, as well as the mule accounts that he used to steal the money.

Forensic voice analysis was also used to establish Mudzinge as the person making the fraudulent phone calls to the banks. All victims were fully refunded by the banks.

Mudzinge will also face confiscation proceedings aimed at recovering illicit funds, as well as an application for a Serious Crime Prevention Order, a civil measure designed to prevent future criminal activity.

Paul Curtis, Detective Chief Inspector at the DCPCU said “Mudzinge used exploitation and deceit to steal from thousands of people of their hard-earned cash. Thanks to the work of DCPCU and the banks, Mudzinge’s criminal antics were stopped and the victims were reunited with their money.

“This sentencing should act as a clear message. We will do everything possible to stop fraudsters plaguing our society and bring them to justice for their crimes.”