Wedding scam lawyer jailed for loan fraud

A solicitor jailed for Britain's biggest fake wedding racket will remain in prison even longer after he was found guilty of a £323,000 mortgage fraud.

Nigerian Michael Adelasoye, 51, forged his boss's signature on two loan applications that claimed he earned £78,000 a year when in fact his wage was £25,000.

He intercepted application forms which he had requested be faxed to Cooper Carter Claremont Law in Hailsham, East Sussex, then filled them out himself before faxing them back to potential lenders, Croydon crown court was told.

Adelasoye secured the £323,000 mortgage with Cheltenham and Gloucester building society.

The jury heard that his manager, Karen Goldsmith, had previously refused his request for a reference including all his potential bonuses to give a larger salary figure.

His fraud was discovered when a second lender asked her to confirm a reference she had apparently sent them on behalf of Adelasoye. Mrs Goldsmith called police after a fax of the application revealed that her signature had been forged.

Father-of-10 Adelasoye, of St Leonards, East Sussex, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for two counts of fraud.

Last year he was given four years for organising 383 fake weddings so immigrants could illegally stay in the UK. He was set to be released on licence in September next year but is now likely to remain in jail until at least May 2013.