Corrupt lawyer squeezed for cash

5:16pm Monday 24th December 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

AN attempt to recover more than £20,000 falsely claimed in legal aid by a corrupt lawyer from Wembley has been launched.

Naveen Sagar, 32, stole £21,000 while defending a Southall gang charged with arms and heroin dealing.

Sagar created fictitious invoices for a made-up interpreting service, swindling the Legal Services Commission (LSC) out of the cash.

He was jailed for 14-and-a-half years on December 5 for his role in the gang's activities The LSC is now trying to reclaim the money plus interest.

David Keegan, director of the LSC's High Cost Cases Group, said: "There is zero tolerance for supplier fraud. We will always investigate fraud and we will always fight to get the money back."

Sagar was jailed for two counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, attempting to pervert the course of justice, two counts of fraud, and contempt of court with intent.

He received 18 months of his sentence for fraud involving the bogus claims.

A confiscation hearing is expected to take place in April.