Struck-off lawyer jailed for Grenfell fraud

Flora Mendes was jailed for seven and a half years

A struck-off solicitor who exploited the Grenfell Tower tragedy has been jailed for seven and a half years.

Prosecutors said Flora Mendes had already been struck off in 2015 after being found guilty of providing unregulated immigration advice.

However, she continued operating and made up fake addresses at Grenfell to convince immigrants she was legitimate.

The 45-year-old, from Luton, admitted 14 counts of fraud and one count of offering immigration advice without a licence.

CCTV evidence showed Flora Mendes in a post office sending some of the fraudulent applications

The court heard she charged 14 people about £2,800 per application, promising them she could help secure them residence in the UK.

Between October 2020 and March 2021, she exploited a Home Office immigration concession for any survivors who lost their homes in the Grenfell Tower fire.

Mendes created fake addresses at the tower or attributed existing properties to people who had never lived there.

A Home Office investigation began when a member of staff became suspicious and it found she was using a Luton post office, close to where she lived.

Investigators found common phrases in her applications, including "when fire busted in our building".

'Disgraceful'

It is believed she made about £39,000 through exploitation of the scheme.

The court heard, between 2018 and 2023, while on bail for the Grenfell-related offences, she offered further fraudulent immigration services

She submitted applications for schemes that did not carry fees, such as the Windrush Scheme.

She charged one client £3,213, the court heard.

Judge Geoffrey Payne described the defendant's actions as "truly disgraceful" and said: "This is not just about the profit margin... it is also about the effect [your actions] had on individuals involved in the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

"You took money from a scheme designed to help them."

The Home Office said her assets totalling more than £700,000 were seized after her conviction.