Criminal gang leader pays back share of money laundering operation

In a confiscation hearing conducted on 27 February 2020, Thomas ‘Tommy’ Adams had his available assets determined by the Judge to be £1,243,270.75 and a Confiscation Order was made against him for that sum.

Adams ran a money laundering operation with his associates, which was foiled in 2014 when undercover police heard him discussing the illicit activity at a central London café. Adams’ associates were also seen handing over a bag full of cash at Euston Station and, when police investigated further, they discovered a ledger recording the amounts of money that had been laundered.

The network was convicted of money laundering offences in two separate trials in 2017 and jailed for more than 30 years collectively.

At the hearing at Croydon Crown Court on 27 February 2020, the prosecution was able to show that Adams had a criminal lifestyle and benefited significantly more than the value of the ‘dirty’ cash that he was trying to launder.

The Judge found that he had properties in London and Cyprus gained through criminal activity, and that he had used third parties to hold his criminal property and help him launder cash through their bank accounts.

Adrian Foster of the Crown Prosecution Service’s (CPS) Proceeds of Crime Division said: “Tommy Adams has finally paid back the full Confiscation Order amount determined by the Crown Court following proceedings in 2020. We worked closely with the police to make sure he did not benefit from the proceeds of his crime. To date, he has paid back £1,243,270.75 from his criminal conduct.”

Foster added: “Where criminals fail to pay the orders made against them, the CPS will robustly pursue them for the money they owe, asking that default prison sentences are imposed where necessary.”

In conclusion, Foster noted: “In the last five years, over £530 million has been recovered from CPS-obtained Confiscation Orders, in turn ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. £118 million of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation.”

Sentencing details in full

Thomas Adams was convicted of three counts of money laundering on 21 July 2017 and sentenced to seven years:

*Conspiracy to conceal criminal property jointly with Antoniades and Mardon

*Conspiracy to transfer criminal property jointly with Antoniades and Mardon, Winstanley and Jones

*Transferring criminal property jointly with Antoniades and Mardon, Nicolas and Antoniou

Stephen Mardon was convicted of three counts of money laundering on 21 July 2017 and sentenced to five years and three months in prison. He was also issued with a Confiscation Order of £355,773.84 on 27 February 2020

Harlambos Antoniades was convicted of three count of money laundering on 18 July 2017 and sentenced to five years and three months imprisonment. He was issued with a Confiscation Order of £355,658.86 on 19 September 2019

Christos Nicolas was convicted of one count of money laundering on 18 July 2017 and sentenced to two years and six months in jail. He was issued with a Confiscation Order of £471.47 on 27 February 2020

Tony Elias Antoniou was convicted of one count of money laundering on 21 July 2017 and sentenced to two years behind bars. He was issued with a Confiscation Order of £1,590 on 14 May 2019

Sean Adams was convicted of one count of money laundering on 2 November 2017 and sentenced to six months suspended. He was issued with a Confiscation Order of £53,000 on 23 November 2018

Loukas Menicou was convicted of one count of money laundering on 2 November 2017 and sentenced to ten months suspended. He was issued with a Confiscation Order of £10,000 on 17 May 2018

Where a defendant refuses to pay their Confiscation Order in a timely way, the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division can invite the court to impose an additional default sentence as determined by the Crown Court on them. The full debt continues to be in force until such time that it’s paid, while interest is charged against it at 8% (ie the civil judgement debt rate).