Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department secures first Serious Crime Prevention Order

The City of London Police’s Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED) has secured its first ever Serious Crime Prevention Order against a serial fraudster who was jailed in 2021.

Hamid Sediqi, 38, of Somervell Road, Harrow, was sentenced to four years imprisonment at Inner London Crown Court in May 2021, after he cloned a claims management company and orchestrated over 60 fraudulent motor insurance claims.

Sediqi received the Serious Crime Prevention Order at the same court on 23 February 2023. The order means that he will be subject to a number of restrictions following his release from prison in March 2023, to prevent him from committing further offences.

The restrictions, which were set in conjunction with the City of London Police’s Lifetime Offender Management Unit (LOMU), include limitations on the number of mobile phones and current bank accounts that Sediqi can hold, and he will also be required to inform the LOMU of any changes to his address and other personal circumstances. Breach of the order is a criminal offence and punishable by up to five years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.

Detective Chief Inspector Tom Hill, from the City of London Police's Insurance Fraud Enforcement Department (IFED), said:

“This result not only represents an important milestone for IFED, but shows that repeat offenders will be dealt with robustly.

"Sediqi targeted legitimate businesses and used the identities of unsuspecting members of the public for his own financial gain. Thankfully, the Serious Crime Prevention Order handed to him will help ensure that he does not continue with this fraudulent activity, and prevent further innocent people from falling victim to his schemes.”

Sediqi was referred to IFED for investigation after a legitimate claims management company discovered that he had posed as its director and offered to refer claims to a solicitors firm in exchange for a fee. Sediqi made £26,070 in referral fees, and detectives found that he was also linked to the bank accounts that received the compensation payments.

A separate investigation by IFED and Aviva linked Sediqi and two others to 62 fraudulent motor insurance claims. The trio operated by fraudulently opening bank accounts using stolen IDs or fictitious details to take out insurance policies with Aviva, and obtained a total of £200,000 in compensation.

Carl Mather, Special Investigations Unit Manager at Aviva, said:

“This is a watershed moment for the insurance industry and something which Aviva welcomes and applauds. Sediqi is a career criminal who balanced significant greed against a likelihood of being caught and the potential outcome if convicted. He was willing to re-offend because he thought he knew the consequences. That has changed and, if breached, the Serious Crime Prevention Order carries an immediate term of imprisonment.

“Aviva has fully supported the IFED investigation and steps taken to secure this order. In granting it, the court has acknowledged the impact of insurance fraud on the general public. The restrictions imposed are specifically designed to prevent Sediqi continuing to target insurers and this decision will serve as a powerful deterrent for others. Aviva remains resolute in its determination to detect and prosecute fraud and in so doing will continue to protect our honest customers from paying for the criminal actions of others.”

A confiscation hearing is due to take place later in the year.