ODA conned out of £2.3m

The gang simply rang up and said the contractor had a new bank account, and gave details of the new account into which money owed should be paid.

The scam only came to light when staff at a money transfer bureau in London were suspicious when Ansmana Kamara, 31, from Sierra Leone, tried to wire a cheque to friends in Nigeria.  

Mr Kamara was sent to prison yesterday for three and a half years after he admitted laundering the stolen cash at Southwark Crown Court.

The court decided that although he was not responsible for the original fraud, he controlled the account into which the money was paid.

Judge Jeffrey Pegden, QC, said: "These money-laundering offences are serious because they targeted a public authority and £2.3m was dishonestly acquired, albeit for a relatively short period. Although not responsible for the original fraud, I am satisfied that you were close to it, and I have come to that conclusion because you received all of the money."

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