‘Cash for crash’ conman who met William after tragedy
MASI Naqshbandi, who met Prince William at the opening of a Grenfell support centre in September, was the ringleader of a Londonbased organised crime gang which perpetrated one of Britain’s biggest ‘cash for crash’ frauds.
In 2007 and 2008 he organised and staged 260 fraudulent accidents in an attempt to defraud the insurance industry of £6.5million.
The gang would submit fraudulent personal injury, damage, car hire and storage claims under the guise of a legitimate accident management company named Real Accident Helpline. In some cases vehicles were deliberately damaged to mimic an accident, while in others claims were fabricated by presenting false paperwork.
All of the claims raked in tens of thousands of pounds, helping to fund Naqshbandi’s lavish lifestyle.
Police investigated after one insurer alerted the Insurance Fraud Bureau.
In 2012 Naqshbandi was sentenced to seven years and three months imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud. He was freed in 2015. Co-conspirator Sabaoon Hillaman received four years and ten months imprisonment.