Latest news with #NabeelAfzal
Daily Mail
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Lamborghini-driving 'TikTok lawyer' who represented brothers over Manchester Airport brawl with police denies money laundering 'involving millions in cash'
A Lamborghini-driving ' TikTok lawyer' who almost became an MP on a pro-Palestine ticket has denied money laundering 'involving millions of pounds' in cash. Akhmed Yakoob, 37, was charged earlier this year for offences alleged to have taken place between February 18 2020 and January 8 2021. He was accused of money laundering, encouraging money laundering, and failing to ensure customer due diligence measures in a business relationship. Yakoob pleaded not guilty to the charges, alongside accountant Nabeel Afzal, 38, both from Birmingham, at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday following a National Crime Agency probe. The pair were released on unconditional bail but must return to court on July 15. If convicted, they could face up to 14 years in jail, the court heard. Yakoob, a lover of fast cars and snazzy jewellery, is a criminal lawyer and a director at Maurice Andrews Solicitors in Birmingham. His fleet of supercars has included a Rolls-Royce and a Lamborghini, though he now says he has 'grown out of them' after intensifying his focus on politics. Yakoob entered the political fray last year when he announced he was taking on Conservative incumbent Andy Street in the West Midlands mayoral race in May. He ended up coming third, but won almost 70,000 votes as an independent who campaigned on a pro-Palestine ticket. Yakoob then stood in Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood's Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the last general election, coming second with 12,137 votes compared to her 15,558. District Judge Briony Clark told Yakoob, of Perry Bar and Afzal, of Edgbaston, yesterday: 'The matters you have indicated not guilty pleas to are matters that must be dealt with at the Crown Court. 'You need to be at Southwark Crown Court no later than 9:30am - it is 15 July at 9:30am. 'I am going to grant you both unconditional bail.' In a post on X, Yakoob stated: 'Money laundering occurs when criminal proceeds are used to portray legitimate businesses and also buy high value items such as cars, jewellery and real estate.' He confirmed that on May 21 he was charged with offences 'in relation to acquiring criminal property along with other offences'. Yakoob, a director at Birmingham firm Maurice Andrews Solicitors, added: 'I deny these offences completely. They are false. I am innocent.' Yakoob's fleet of supercars has included a Rolls-Royce and a Lamborghini, though he now says he has 'grown out of them' after intensifying his focus on politics Afzal and Yakoob were both granted unconditional bail ahead of the plea and trial preparation hearing at Southwark Crown Court on July 15. A father-of-four, Yakoob has four brothers and four sisters and was born in Birmingham in 1988 - his father having come to Britain from Pakistan in the 1970s. He joined Maurice Andrews Solicitors in 2014, where he worked under the mentorship of Mr Andrews, the company's director. He has a huge following on TikTok where he complains about poor local bus services, unemployment, rubbish-strewn streets, lethally low NHS response times - and the conflict in Gaza . His viral clips carry headline captions such as 'NHS failure', 'Our streets are filthy', and 'They have done nothing'. Yakoob was also at the centre of a controversy in July, when he represented two brothers involved in a brawl with police officers at Manchester Airport. The lawyer travelled to Rochdale after he was contacted by the family when footage of Mohammed Fahir Amaz being apparently kicked and stamped on by a police officer went viral on social media. He later stepped aside from the pair claiming the media had 'made the situation about me rather than police brutality and police misconduct'.
BBC News
17-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Former BirminghamMP candidate Akhmed Yakoob denies money laundering charge
A lawyer and former political candidate for Birmingham has denied helping a group to launder millions in Yakoob, who stood as an Independent candidate for the West Midlands mayoral election and the general election in 2024, is accused of assisting people who "wanted help to launder cash of millions of pounds", a court Yakoob and accountant Nabeel Afzal were charged earlier this year with money laundering, encouraging money laundering, and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business two men entered not guilty pleas to all three offences at Westminster Magistrates Court. They were granted unconditional bail and are due to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 15 offences are alleged to have taken place between 18 February 2020 and 8 January 2021. Mr Yakoob, of Aldridge in Walsall, and Mr Afzal, from Birmingham, were charged after a National Crime Agency convicted, the men could be jailed to up to 14 years, the court Yakoob, 37, dubbed the "TikTok lawyer", stood in Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood's Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the 2024 general election. He came second, with 12,137 votes compared to her 15, in the year, he came third in the West Midlands mayoral election with 69,621 a solicitor, he represented two brothers who were involved in an incident involving Greater Manchester Police officers at Manchester Airport in July 2024. Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Lamborghini-driving TikTok lawyer who represented Manchester Airport man kicked by cops charged with money laundering
A LAMBORGHINI boasting TikTok lawyer who defended two brothers involved in the Manchester Airport brawl has been charged with money laundering. Akhmed Yakoob, 37, had the charges brought against him after an investigation by National Crime Agency. 7 7 7 7 The director of Maurice Andrews Solicitors will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 17 alongside accountant Nabeel Afzal, 38. Both men, of Birmingham, have been charged with three criminal offences including money laundering, encouraging money laundering and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business relationship. The offences are alleged to have unfolded between February 18, 2020, and January 8, 2021. A spokesperson from the NCA said: "A solicitor and an accountant have been charged with money laundering offences following a National Crime Agency investigation. "Solicitor Akhmed Yakoob, 37, and accountant Nabeel Afzal, 38, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 17 June to each face three criminal charges. "Yakoob, of Perry Barr, and Azfal, of Edgbaston, both Birmingham, are accused of money laundering; encouraging money laundering; and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business relationship. "The offences are alleged to have been committed between 18 February 2020 and 08 January 2021." Yakoob previously made headlines when he defended two brothers at the centre of the Manchester Airport brawl in July 2024, which ended with a policeman being filmed kicking one of the siblings. He then withdrew defending the pair after claiming the media had "made the situation about me rather than police brutality and police misconduct". The father of four also came into the spotlight earlier last year when he stood for mayor of the West Midlands on a pro-Palestine platform. He secured over 69,000 votes, coming in second to Labour's Shabna Mahmood while also being endorsed by George Galloway. The lawyer carried out the vast majority of his campaign via TikTok, where he has more than 200,000 followers. Yakoob previously told The Sun how he left school aged 15 after growing up on a council estate in a crime-riddled Birmingham suburb. He got into Wolverhampton for his Bachelor of Laws degree, where he got a 2:2. The social media influencer, who posts videos about his criminal clients to his 106,000 TikTok following, now flaunts his wealth online. He owns two Lamborghinis, a Mercedes Benz G-Class, a Ferrari F8 and was in the process of buying a Rolls Royce. He says his car collection is worth £1million. Yakoob bought out his boss at Maurice Andrews Solicitors for £150,000 aged just 28. And he used TikTok to double his clients, becoming the "go to" criminal defence lawyer in the Midlands, he claims. 7 7 7
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Lawyer and accountant charged with money laundering offences
A lawyer who stood in last year's general election and an accountant are due to appear in court after being charged with money laundering. Solicitor Akhmed Yakoob, 37, who stood as an independent candidate for both the West Midlands mayoral election and the general election in 2024, and accountant Nabeel Afzal, 38, will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 17 and each face three criminal charges, the National Crime Agency has said. Yakoob, of Perry Barr, and Azfal, of Edgbaston, both in Birmingham, are accused of money laundering, encouraging money laundering and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business relationship. The offences are alleged to have been committed between February 18 2020 and January 8 2021. Yakoob unsuccessfully stood in Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood's Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the last general election, coming second with 12,137 votes compared to her 15,558, and came third in the West Midlands mayoral election with 69,621 votes. He also represented two brothers who were involved in an incident involving Greater Manchester Police officers at Manchester Airport in July 2024.
Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Pro-Gaza mayoral candidate charged with money laundering
A lawyer who ran in the 2024 general election as a pro-Palestinian independent candidate has been charged with money laundering. Akhmed Yakoob was arrested following an investigation by the National Crime Agency. The 37-year-old stood as an independent candidate at both the West Midlands mayoral election and the general election last year. He will appear at Westminster magistrates' court on June 17 alongside accountant Nabeel Afzal, 38, with each facing three criminal charges. Mr Yakoob, of Perry Barr, and Mr Azfal, of Edgbaston, both in Birmingham, are accused of money laundering, encouraging money laundering and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business relationship. The offences are alleged to have been committed between Feb 18 2020 and Jan 8 2021. Mr Yakoob unsuccessfully stood in Shabana Mahmood's Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the last general election on a pro-Gaza, anti-Labour platform, where he was endorsed by George Galloway. He came in second to the Justice Secretary, winning 12,137 votes to her 15,558, and came third in the West Midlands mayoral election with 69,621 votes. He also represented two brothers who were involved in an incident involving police officers at Manchester airport in July last year. Mr Yakoob, who has been described as 'the TikTok lawyer', has thousands of followers on the social media platform.
