Solicitor’s office searched in fraud investigation – A solicitor’s office was one of six properties searched by police investigating a suspected £9 million mortgage fraud. Four men were arrested in connection with the fraud which was against an unnamed insurance firm . Their occupations are not known.

The police said of the fraud: ‘The work was a significant step forward in this complex investigation. The size of the police operation was evidence of the scale of this suspected fraud.’

He said the economic crime directorate had seen a sharp increase in reported cases of mortgage fraud in the past 18 months.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has expressed its support for the actions being taken by police to combat mortgage fraud.

Colin Quinney, director of investigation for SRA, said: ‘Since the start of the year, the SRA has stepped up its work in relation to mortgage fraud, both through advice and warnings to the profession, and by increasing its detection and investigation resources to prevent, deter and tackle fraud.’

read more – http://www.ftadviser.com/FinancialAdviser/Regulation/Regulators/News/article/20090924/f8cb2cc2-a2b0-11de-acf8-0015171400aa/City-police-arrest-4-in-9m-mortgage-fraud-case.jsp