Fri, 06 Sep 2019
A Queen’s Counsel at No5 Barristers’ Chambers is leading the prosecution in an £11m money laundering trial.
Michelle Heeley QC is prosecuting at Leicester Crown Court where five people face accusations of running a professional money laundering operation.
On trial are Chauhan Yogendrasinh, 55, director of the alleged money laundering business, Rushi Investments, and his 52-year-old wife Moushamiben Chauhan, both of Lichfield Drive, Blaby.
Their alleged employees, Bhavesh Suclo, 40, of Westbourne Street, Belgrave, his wife Jignasha Jignasha, 56, of Canon Street, Belgrave, and Pankashbai Deugi, 52, of Wand Street, Belgrave, are also on trial.
It is alleged that the defendants ran a sham money transfer business from a terraced house in Leicester’s Belgrave, handling £11 million of criminal cash. The court heard claims that the money went abroad to places such as Hong Kong and India. It is also alleged that the cash funded property, luxury holidays, jewellery and gold bars.
Michelle Heeley QC told the court: "This case is about money, dirty money, criminal money that was put through the books of businesses to make it look as if it was legitimate.”
All five have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to transfer criminal property between January 2011 and March 2016.
Yogendrasinh and Suclo also deny conspiring to convert criminal property in relation to the purchase of a property at 62 Westbourne Street, Belgrave, Leicester.
The trial continues.
To read more about the case, please visit: https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/news/leicester-news/11m-laundered-terraced-house-leicester-3280435
Michelle Heeley QC is a member of the Crime Group at No5 Barristers’ Chambers.
