Former Luton Town footballer Mark Aizlewood, once a respected figure in the world of sport, has been ordered to repay £165,000 after being convicted of his role in a large-scale fraud that siphoned over £1 million from employers. The case, which exposed a sophisticated and deliberate scam, involved the misuse of government apprenticeship funds meant to support disadvantaged young people.
Aizlewood was a director of Luis Michael Training Ltd, a company that falsely claimed to provide sports apprenticeships. Alongside other co-conspirators, he submitted fraudulent documentation and registered ‘ghost learners’ to obtain public money. The scheme spanned several years and was estimated to have defrauded the government of around £5 million in total.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO), which led the investigation, described the fraud as a betrayal of public trust. Rather than using the money to provide real training and development opportunities, the group falsified records and enriched themselves. During the trial, it emerged that colleges, football clubs, and charities had been unwittingly caught up in the deceit.
Aizlewood was convicted and sentenced to six years in prison in 2018. This week, a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act concluded that while he had benefited from more than £1 million, only £165,000 in assets could currently be recovered. The court ordered that amount to be repaid within three months or he would face an additional two years in jail.
This is not the first case of its kind to emerge from Luton in recent years. In a separate incident, a former council employee, Oladipo Olayinka Jawando, was found guilty of diverting nearly £115,000 in public funds into his own accounts. Jawando, who claimed to have a gambling addiction, was jailed and ordered to repay nearly £97,000.
Both cases underline the serious impact of financial fraud on public institutions and the importance of robust oversight. Authorities say they remain committed to recovering stolen funds and holding those responsible to account.
The SFO and other agencies hope these high-profile cases serve as a warning: fraud, particularly involving public money and trust, will be thoroughly investigated and punished.
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Former Luton Town footballer Mark Aizlewood, who was involved in a £5 million apprenticeship fraud, has been ordered to repay £165,000. Aizlewood, along with five co-defendants, operated Luis Michael Training Ltd, a company that fraudulently obtained public funds intended for apprenticeships. The scheme targeted colleges, charities, football clubs, and sports associations, exploiting taxpayers’ money meant to support disadvantaged young people. Instead of providing legitimate training, the company enrolled ‘ghost learners’ and forged documents to siphon off education funding.
The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) described the operation as a “sham” that diverted funds away from programs designed to transform young people’s lives. Aizlewood and his co-defendants were convicted for their roles in the fraudulent activities. The court proceedings highlighted the extensive nature of the fraud, which caused significant financial hardship to the institutions involved and undermined trust in apprenticeship programs.
In a separate case, former Luton Borough Council employee Oladipo Olayinka Jawando was ordered to repay nearly £97,000 after diverting public funds to his personal accounts to feed a gambling addiction. Jawando had previously been sentenced to two years in prison for his actions. At a confiscation hearing, the court determined that he had benefited by £115,550 from the fraud and ordered him to pay back £96,929.85 within three months. Failure to do so would result in an additional 18 months imprisonment.
These cases underscore the serious consequences of financial misconduct within public institutions and organizations. The legal actions taken against the individuals involved serve as a reminder of the importance of accountability and the need to protect public funds from fraudulent activities. The courts’ decisions to order repayments reflect the commitment to ensuring that those who exploit their positions for personal gain are held responsible and that efforts are made to recover stolen funds.
