£170k seized from Scottish bank account of fraudster Ahmad Shhade

ALMOST £170,000 has been seized from the Scottish bank account of fraudster Ahmad Shhade, who persuaded people to transfer money on the false promise of a larger return.

• Ahmad Shhade was born in Lebanon but his current whereabouts are currently unknown

• Was involved in a sophisticated fraud in 2004, conning US and UK citizens out of money

• Head of Civil Recovery Unit ‘pleased that proceeds have been recovered’

Mr Shhade, who was born in Beirut, Lebanon, but whose whereabouts are currently unknown, was involved in a sophisticated advance fee fraud in 2004, conning money out of people in the UK and US.

He has made no challenge to the Crown Office action, carried out in accordance with the Proceeds of Crime Act, and the money has now been confiscated permanently and will fund good causes in Scotland.

Ruaraidh Macniven, head of the Civil Recovery Unit at the Crown Office, said: “I am pleased that the proceeds of these frauds have been recovered and that it has been possible for one of the victims to make a successful claim.

“The case demonstrates that people should be extremely cautious about unsolicited offers that seem to good to be true. Where property is obtained through fraud, the CRU will make every effort to investigate and recover it.”