Online Gambling Bonus Abuse: Andrei Ospiau Jailed in Fraud Case First

A man who made nearly £80,000 from online gambling using "bonus abuse" has been jailed for three years in the first prosecution of its kind.

Andrei Ospiau, 35, used fraudulent passports, identity cards and bills to open different accounts on gambling websites to take advantage of their bonus schemes.

At his address, police found 5,900 scans of passports and other forms of identification from individuals from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and more.

The native Belarusian also used online payment companies to transfer the money to bank accounts he opened in false names.

His scam was spotted when an online betting company received two passports with the same picture and different names within 12 minutes of each other.

DI Ann-Marie Waller, head of the Met's Gaming Unit, said: "This joint investigation with the Gambling Commission demonstrates the Met's commitment to combatting high-tech organised crime.

"The sentence imposed by the judge should deter anyone considering committing crime involving stolen or compromised identities."

Osipau was sentenced to three years at Southwark crown court. He pleaded guilty to fraud, possession of articles for use in fraud, and transferring criminal property.

Judge nicholas Loraine-Smith said: "I expect and intend that you will be deported at the end of your sentence."