A man found guilty of mortgage fraud has been sentenced to seven years in prison.

50-year old Mohammed Younas was found to have defrauded a number of lenders into paying out 33 bogus loans using false paperwork. Lenders included Abbey and HBOS.

He used the alias Mahmood Ali and purported to be a director of a (non-existent) firm of solicitors called Montague Mason.

Imran Mirza, 31, his brother Nadeem Mirza, 26, with Farhan Khan, 38, and his brother Khawar, 27, took out mortgages on properties using false identities.

Police recovered £100,000 in cash and £43,000 in glittering gold ingots.

The four men were jailed in March last year to a total of 15 years.

Younas, of Croydon, Surrey, admitted conspiracy to defraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Southwark Crown Court heard Younas and his cronies identified suitable properties across the south-east to use for false mortgage applications.

The fraudulent mortgages were completed when false paperwork was submitted by the solicitors, and signed by Younas, including the Certificates of Title requesting the banks release the funds.

The stolen money was then transferred from the solicitor’s account into a network of bank accounts. The money was then withdrawn in cash.

Det Supt Bob Wishart of the City of London Police, said: “Younas is a sophisticated fraudster who hid behind an alias to con banks and evade police.