Bradford property developer brothers to pay £4.3m

Parvez Akhtar, 55, and Zaheer Akhtar Nazir, 50, have been property developers in Bradford for more than 30 years, the NCA said

Two brothers who were under a civil investigation over their multi-million pound property business have agreed to pay £4.3m to the National Crime Agency.

Parvez Akhtar and Zaheer Akhtar Nazir, from Bradford, are alleged to have laundered thousands of pounds for criminals worldwide, the NCA said.

The settlement will include properties with a total value of £2.05m.

The NCA claims their property portfolio was "funded by the proceeds of their unlawful conduct".

A civil recovery inquiry by the agency was brought to the High Court, which resulted in the pay-out agreement.

Allegations also include 55-year-old Parvez Akhtar being "involved in a range of serious criminality since the 1990s including international VAT fraud, money laundering and fraud", the NCA said.

Officers said evidence uncovered during the investigation showed he had "links to a number of serious organised criminals".

'Clear message'

Mr Akhtar was well known in the Bradford area, under the nickname Boney, and previously appeared in YouTube videos "showing off his high value cars and sporting memorabilia", they said.

Andy Lewis, head of civil recovery at the NCA, said: "Taking the proceeds of crime off individuals such as these brothers is particularly significant for the Bradford community.

"Through this work we have sent a clear message that no-one is above the law, while simultaneously taking away the ability of the pair to benefit from what we assessed as the proceeds of crime.

"This action demonstrates to the criminal fraternity that we will use every available tool to disrupt and help prevent money laundering by criminals and their associates."

A three-storey town house in Paddington, west London, worth about £1.75m, and and two properties in Yorkshire with a total valuation of £300,000 would be clawed back, the agency said.

Both siblings have been property developers in Bradford for more than 30 years.