Bradford, UK – June 2025
A major cheque fraud case involving two Zimbabwean nationals has resurfaced in the UK media this week as immigration officials confirmed that one of the ringleaders, Charles Nyongo, is fighting deportation after serving nine years in prison. Nyongo, along with co-accused Onias Hove, was convicted in 2014 at Bradford Crown Court for orchestrating a large-scale fraud operation that forged and altered stolen cheques worth over £6.5 million.
During the original trial, prosecutors detailed how the men led a complex criminal enterprise involving dozens of “mule” bank accounts and mail theft across Yorkshire and Greater Manchester. The syndicate targeted small businesses and individuals, stealing cheques from letterboxes, altering them, and depositing the funds into accounts they controlled. The court described it as one of the largest cheque fraud conspiracies ever uncovered in the UK.
Now, more than a decade later, Nyongo is resisting efforts by the Home Office to deport him back to Zimbabwe, citing fears of persecution and lack of access to fair treatment. His legal team has launched a human rights appeal, prompting fresh debate about the deportation of foreign nationals with serious criminal convictions. Meanwhile, financial crime watchdogs have warned that such scams, though less common today, are still a threat in an increasingly digital age.
