Playboy drug boss has been jailed for 37 years for fraud, money laundering and drug offences
A drug gang boss pictured partying with bikini-clad women on luxury yachts and who led a playboy lifestyle has been jailed for 37 years.Aram Sheibani, 40, enjoyed a millionaire's lifestyle for a decade which included a £5 million property empire before he was rumbled by investigators.He kept artwork by Banksy and Andy Warhol in his £2m apartment, but Manchester Crown Court heard he was involved in high level criminality which enabled him to build substantial unaccountable wealth. He was sentenced today (Thurs) after being found guilty of a total of 20 fraud, money laundering and drug offences. In April 2019, warrants were executed at a number of addresses connected to Sheibani in Manchester and London and he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud. Sheibani attempted to delay efforts by police to secure access to his apartment by refusing to answer the door as he attempted to destroy evidence. When the police were finally able to escort Sheibani from the building, he shouted to his girlfriend "don't tell them anything, go no comment." The court heard how following his arrest, police seized roughly £1.2 million in cash, as well as crypto currency valued at £1.5 million. The fraudster produced forged documents to support his false declared earnings with documentation being found to contain bank statements, payslips and P60s. A safe was recovered from the property which contained over £160,000 in cash, a number of safety deposit keys, crypto currency recovery codes and cocaine. Sheibani, of Manchester, was sentenced to 34 years for the charges, and an extra three years to be served consecutively after failing to provide the password to his devices.Sergeant Lucy Pearson, of GMP's Economic Crime Unit, said: "Sheibani is a calculated, deceitful and scheming criminal who believes he is above the law. "His greed shows no limits and he has been funding his materialistic lifestyle of luxury with fraud and criminality, masquerading as a legitimate businessman to conceal his ill-gotten gains. "He is a dishonest individual who has not shown any remorse for his actions throughout this entire investigation, refusing to co-operate with police and attempting to destroy evidence." A £24,000 Porsche Panemera was also recovered and further searches of the apartment found a number of mobile phones. Two of these phones were found smashed and submerged down the toilet in an attempt by Sheibani to destroy evidence. Searches of his other properties and the safety deposit boxes also found cash counting machines, various quantities of foreign currencies. They also found an encrypted iron key USB, which is designed to be completely tamperproof, a number of electronic devices, and a substantial amount of class A and B drugs, including cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy. A number of original artwork pieces - including those by artists such as Banksy and Andy Warhol - which were later found to be obtained through illegitimate means were also discovered. Sergeant Lucy Pearson added: "May today's sentencing serve as a warning to anyone thinking they can get away with such fraudulent and criminal activity, we will find you, and ensure that you face the full consequences of your actions."
A drug gang boss pictured partying with bikini-clad women on luxury yachts and who led a playboy lifestyle has been jailed for 37 years.Aram Sheibani, 40, enjoyed a millionaire's lifestyle for a decade which included a £5 million property empire before he was rumbled by investigators.He kept artwork by Banksy and Andy Warhol in his £2m apartment, but Manchester Crown Court heard he was involved in high level criminality which enabled him to build substantial unaccountable wealth.
He was sentenced today (Thurs) after being found guilty of a total of 20 fraud, money laundering and drug offences.
In April 2019, warrants were executed at a number of addresses connected to Sheibani in Manchester and London and he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering and fraud.
Sheibani attempted to delay efforts by police to secure access to his apartment by refusing to answer the door as he attempted to destroy evidence.
When the police were finally able to escort Sheibani from the building, he shouted to his girlfriend "don't tell them anything, go no comment." The court heard how following his arrest, police seized roughly £1.2 million in cash, as well as crypto currency valued at £1.5 million.
The fraudster produced forged documents to support his false declared earnings with documentation being found to contain bank statements, payslips and P60s.
A safe was recovered from the property which contained over £160,000 in cash, a number of safety deposit keys, crypto currency recovery codes and cocaine.
Sheibani, of Manchester, was sentenced to 34 years for the charges, and an extra three years to be served consecutively after failing to provide the password to his devices.Sergeant Lucy Pearson, of GMP's Economic Crime Unit, said: "Sheibani is a calculated, deceitful and scheming criminal who believes he is above the law.
"His greed shows no limits and he has been funding his materialistic lifestyle of luxury with fraud and criminality, masquerading as a legitimate businessman to conceal his ill-gotten gains.
"He is a dishonest individual who has not shown any remorse for his actions throughout this entire investigation, refusing to co-operate with police and attempting to destroy evidence." A £24,000 Porsche Panemera was also recovered and further searches of the apartment found a number of mobile phones.
Two of these phones were found smashed and submerged down the toilet in an attempt by Sheibani to destroy evidence.
Searches of his other properties and the safety deposit boxes also found cash counting machines, various quantities of foreign currencies.
They also found an encrypted iron key USB, which is designed to be completely tamperproof, a number of electronic devices, and a substantial amount of class A and B drugs, including cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy.
A number of original artwork pieces - including those by artists such as Banksy and Andy Warhol - which were later found to be obtained through illegitimate means were also discovered.
Sergeant Lucy Pearson added: "May today's sentencing serve as a warning to anyone thinking they can get away with such fraudulent and criminal activity, we will find you, and ensure that you face the full consequences of your actions."
