Banker convicted for laundering millions in people smuggling for small boat crossings

Video footage released by the National Crime Agency shows the moments officers arrested a relaxed-looking Asghar Gheshalghian.

The 48-year-old, originally from Iran, was a trusted middleman who operated as a banker for criminals in accepting payments from migrants or their families to be smuggled to the UK before releasing the funds to gangs and charging a commission fee.

Gheshalghian, who operated a rug company as a cover-up for his money laundering business, will finally be jailed next month after a jury found him guilty of five counts relating to money laundering and facilitating illegal immigration.

The court heard the criminal enabler ran an unregistered money services business from an office block in Wood Green, north London, as part of a network of bankers transferring money using the hawala money transferring system.

Gheshalghian operated as part of a network of ‘hawala’ bankers who transferred money to and from other countries.

Hawala banking is a system where no physical money actually moves but is lent by a network of money lending brokers internationally, making it hard to track.

It is legal in the UK if the operator is registered as a money service business and it conducts lawful business.

However, from 2018, Gheshlaghian ran his business unregistered and used it to launder ill-gotten funds from criminals who he knew were smuggling migrants into the UK illegally.

A two-year NCA investigation found evidence linking Gheshalghian with at least eight Iranian migrants who later arrived in the UK by boat or lorry and claimed asylum.

Investigators later obtained covert recordings of him talking to associates on the phone, admitting that ‘70-80 percent [of] our business is illegal’.

In other conversations Gheshalghian was heard bragging about how people smuggling gangs trusted him to deal with financial transactions on their behalf, saying: “They approve me… they know I won’t cheat on them. Once the task is completed – money.”

NCA officers eventually arrested him in February 2021, after building up a wealth of evidence from their investigations.

Following his arrest, officers searched his business premises and a storage lock-up facility as well as his home in East Ham – seizing around £50,000 in cash.

Officers also recovered ledgers outlining transactions he facilitated, whilst financial investigators were able to uncover around £1.6 million in payments into his bank accounts.

Further evidence was also obtained from an ITV documentary in which undercover reporters approached a people smuggler in northern France, who discussed sending money through a broker called ‘Mr G’ – who is now understood to be Gheshalghian.

This people smuggler was later convicted in France.

After hearing this evidence during a two-week trial at Southwark Crown Court, a jury convicted Gheshalghian of five counts of money laundering and facilitating illegal immigration.

He was convicted of contravening a relevant requirement; transferring criminal property; processing criminal property; helping asylum seekers enter the UK and assisting unlawful immigration and will now be sentenced later this month.

NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes said Gheshalghian ‘happily’ profited from payments for the dangerous crossings.

“By his own admission, Asghar Gheshalghian was trusted by organised crime gangs to handle their payments and launder the money they made through organising dangerous Channel boat and lorry crossings,” Mr Howes said.

“In doing so he enabled their criminality and happily took a cut from the profits they made from it.”

“Crossing the Channel illegally in boats or lorries is extremely dangerous.”

“Sadly, in recent days and weeks, we have seen that it can have fatal consequences.”

“This is why disrupting and dismantling the gangs involved in organised immigration crime is a priority for the NCA.”

“Targeting their financial flows through agents like Gheshalghian is just one of the ways we are doing that.”

Michael Oatley, Unit Head for the CPS, added: “Asghar Gheshlaghian knowingly ran an unregulated money service business to help criminal gangs smuggle people into the UK illegally.”

“People smugglers treat vulnerable migrants desperate for a better life as goods, often putting their safety and even lives at risk for profit.”

“Through his money laundering service, Gheshlaghian helped fund and facilitate dangerous criminals who exploited migrants and undermined UK border security for his own financial benefit.”