Cuffed and hauled from plane: the 18 million fraud mastermind

City of London police hailed a “landmark moment” in the fight against crime after one of Britain’s most prolific money launderers was hauled off a Heathrow plane, convicted and jailed for eight years.

Ian Macdonald faced justice over British victims defrauded of more than £18 million. With him on the flight from Vancouver was David Downes, a fraudster wanted all over the world, who was jailed for four and a half years.

They were en route to Spain, where police were to find a $1 million cheque at their Costas villa hideaway.

The scenes were caught for an ITV documentary, Fraud Squad, which had exclusive access to the Economic Crime Department of City of London police.

As criminal partners, the two men had “their victims’ blood on their hands from the minute the money’s paid to the minute it is spent in luxurious lifestyles”, said Detective Superintendent David Clark.

The ITV programme investigates how organised crime targets the life savings of hardworking people and launders the stolen millions through front companies, offshore accounts and gold.

The latest figures from the National Fraud Authority show mass-marketing scams are costing the UK economy £3.5 billion, and is growing rapidly.

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