Fraudster in letter storm ordered to pay £53,000

A FRAUDSTER who was plunged into a political storm when Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wrote a letter supporting him has been ordered to pay £53,000 under Proceeds of Crime legislation.

Abdul Rauf was jailed for two years in May after he admitted lying to officials to obtain 80,000 in income support from the Department for Work and Pensions in October 2001.

The case took a twist in February when Ms Sturgeon, in her role as his MSP, asked a sheriff to consider sparing him jail, prompting an angry reaction from political rivals.

But Rauf, 60, who has committed previous crimes of dishonesty, was jailed for two years and a Confiscation Order for 53,000 was made at Glasgow Sheriff Court yesterday.

Lesley Thomson, the area procurator-fiscal for Glasgow, said: "The public can be assured that we will be relentless in our endeavours to ensure crime does not pay. Not only will we prosecute offenders to the full extent of the law, we will seek to confiscate any proceeds from their criminal activities and lifestyles.

Rauf has already repaid 27,000 to the DWP.