BIRMINGHAM – A Zimbabwean couple has been arrested in what authorities are calling one of the most brazen cases of care home fraud in recent years. Chengetai Guvamombe, a well-known Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) recruiter in the UK care sector, and her husband, Thomas Dendere, were taken into custody after investigators uncovered a £1.2 million scheme involving fake sponsorships and illegal worker placements.
According to police, the couple operated a recruitment consultancy that promised overseas workers legal pathways into the UK care industry through sponsored jobs. However, dozens of care homes across the Midlands were allegedly billed for workers who either never arrived or turned out to be unqualified and undocumented. “They played on the desperation of both employers and migrants,” a West Midlands detective said. “It was a complete abuse of the immigration system and employer trust.”
The pair is expected to face multiple charges, including fraud, money laundering, and immigration offenses. Authorities believe Guvamombe and Dendere used the proceeds to fund a lavish lifestyle, including luxury cars and a newly built home on the outskirts of Birmingham.
