McMafia millionaire's £ 10 million real estate empire is revealed

A businessman allegedly linked to organized crime has seized nearly £ 10 million worth of property, cash and land through an unresolved property regime – including a Yorkshire mansion and apartment in Knightsbridge.

Mansoor Mahmood Hussain, 40, had "strong connections" with "notorious criminals" in the Leeds and Bradford area, including an assassin who is currently in prison for 26 years, the National Crime Agency said.

But Hussain has now had to hand over 45 properties, including million pound mansions and blocks of flats in London, Cheshire and Leeds, along with £ 583,950 in cash and four parcels.

These properties include a £ 1.75million seven bedroom property in Leeds which was his primary residence and a block of flats in the city of West Yorkshire with a total value of £ 4.5million.

Hussain, who proudly posed with celebrities like Meghan Markle and Beyonce, also had an apartment on a street in Knightsbridge valued at £ 850,000 as well as a tiny £ 250,000 studio in the area.

Among 45 properties Hussain had to return was this gated seven-bedroom detached house in Leeds valued at £ 1.75 million

Another look at the £ 1.75 million property on Sandmoor Drive in Leeds that Hussain had to return

Part of Hussain's real estate empire seized by the NCA is this Knightsbridge home at 101 Walton Street, a street with an average home value of £ 850,000

The largest real estate seizure was a block of 36 apartments and offices called Cubic on the outskirts of Leeds owned by Hussain

Another view of the Leeds block of flats, which is valued at £ 4.5m in total, according to the NCA

Investigators believe the owner and developer of Poundworld laundered huge sums of money for criminal networks linked to a convicted murderer, drug trafficking, and arms trade.

And the first successful use of a McMafia contract – so named after the BBC TV drama series starring James Norton – the millionaire businessman had to hand over dozens of properties.

Six men with criminal ties to Mansoor Hussain

The NCA told the High Court that it suspects Mr. Hussain of acting as a professional innovator and serial money launderer for a range of individuals involved in organized crime gangs. These included one in Bradford, run by the Khan family under the direction of Mohammed Nisar Khan and his brother Shamsher Khan, and another in the north of England, run by Dennis Slade.

The NCA clarified the suspected and known criminal activities of a number of individuals in connection with drug disputes, gang violence, armed robbery, and serious fraud.

These people include:

Mohammed Nisar Khan is a murderer who is serving a life sentence

1) Mohammed & # 39; Meggy & # 39; Nisar Khanwho is currently serving a life sentence for the murder of Amriz Iqbal and believed to be responsible for numerous serious assaults, including attempted murder, as well as for engaging in the illicit drug and firearms trafficking on his own behalf and that of other organized crime gangs with a significant number of previous convictions, mainly for violence and drug-related crimes. Hussain paid Khan's son's private school fees for a little over two years and cost just under £ 10,000.

2) Shamsher Khanwho is known to the police for violence and drug offenses as well as for mortgage and money laundering offenses;

3) Dennis Sladewho was the leader of an organized crime gang that was involved in firearms transport robberies that operated in the north of England and who has had various convictions including burglary, theft, handling of stolen goods and crimes of violence, including assault that is serious Causing Assault (GBH) and Actual Assault (ABH), as well as suspected link to two murders for which he was arrested but not charged;

4) Maxine ValentineSlades estranged wife who allegedly led a lavish lifestyle regarding her husband's criminal income and was convicted in Teesside Crown Court on January 28, 2011 on two money laundering cases for which she was sentenced to 12 months in prison ;;

5) Simon Morris, a former Leeds United director who was previously convicted of dishonesty violations, was also implicated in Slade's fraud and was investigated by West Yorkshire Police in connection with a multi-million pound real estate fraud with a close associate, Irfan Ali, arrested by Mohammed Khan; and

6) Brian Morris, Father of Simon Morris, who was also convicted of dishonesty and was arrested with his son and Ali in connection with multi-million pound real estate fraud.

As part of an agreed settlement, the NCA – called the "British FBI" – left him four small properties that are still mortgaged and transferred cash to a bank account that was not part of the original investigation.

The NCA used an unresolved property regime (UWO) to take action against the alleged criminal who had been flaunting his money for years.

Hussain's Twitter and Instagram pages are filled with pictures of him posing with stars, politicians and kings in places like Barbados, New York, Monaco and Saint-Tropez.

A photo he has repeatedly posted on social media shows him hugging Meghan Markle at the 2013 Global Gift Gala in London, three years before she met Prince Harry.

After the royal wedding, Hussain republished the picture to his 134,000 Instagram followers, titled: "Great Night with the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle."

As the director of a set production company that ran shows for Beyonce, Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls and Take That, Hussain – who calls himself Manni Boss – never missed an opportunity to take pictures.

He was pictured with Topshop tycoon Sir Philip Green, Cherie Blair, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and entrepreneur Michelle Mone.

There is no evidence that any of the celebrities he met were involved in any wrongdoing.

Hussain, who started his first business at age 18, prides itself on traveling by private jet and owning a fleet of luxury vehicles, including Rolls Royces and Range Rovers.

But the NCA believes his jet set lifestyle was funded through money laundering for notorious gangs.

According to investigators, Hussain has ties to Mohammed Nisar Khan, a convicted murderer who is serving a 26-year prison sentence. He also used a convicted fraudster as his accountant and allegedly allowed an armed robber to stay in his mansion and seven-bedroom penthouse, the NCA says.

It is believed that he bought his real estate with threats of violence and extortion.

Investigators didn't realize the size of his fortune until he produced 127 lever arch files and a 76-page statement explaining where his money came from and inadvertently gave officers clues to make a larger argument against him.

UWOs were introduced in 2018 to give authorities the power to investigate the source of the wealth of suspected criminals and politically exposed persons.

The one against Hussain last year was the first to be based solely on alleged links to organized crime.

The NCA pursued the case in the civil courts, rather than the criminal courts, as it was difficult to assemble financial evidence that would secure a conviction.

Andy Lewis, director of civil recovery at the NCA, said while Hussain initially appeared to be a successful businessman without conviction, there was a "compelling case" that he was a suspected money launderer and had connections with those involved in the drug trade were involved.

"We showed him the evidence and he decided to reach an agreement with us," said Lewis.

"He felt it was the best thing he could do instead of going to court and potentially losing all of those assets."

Princes Court in Knightsbridge, London, the location of Flat M, one of the properties owned by Mansoor Mahmood Hussain. He owns a tiny studio worth £ 250,000

A fleet of luxury cars, including a Rolls Royce with personalized license plates belonging to Hussain

It is believed that Hussain (pictured) bought his property with threats of violence and extortion

Hussain was the director of a set production company that ran shows for Beyonce (pictured), Kylie Minogue, Robbie Williams, the Spice Girls and Take That

Hussain met former Manchester United footballer Rio Ferdinand (left) and lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone (right) at various parties and social events

Hussain's Twitter and Instagram pages are filled with pictures of him posing with stars, including Simon Cowell (pictured)

The largest single property handed over to the NCA is a high specification residential and office property, Cubic, on the outskirts of Leeds that Mr. Hussain owned 100% through one of his many companies.

Other properties include a house on one of the city's most expensive streets, an apartment across from Harrods in London and townhouses in Leeds and Bradford.

In High Court legal documents, the NCA said the seed money for Cubic development and other property purchases must have come from Mr. Hussain's criminal employees because they could not find a legitimate source of his assets.

He had paid virtually no income tax in a few years and many of his 77 businesses were dormant.

The court was told that Mr. Hussain was viewed as "clean skin" – an unconvinced businessman who appears to be a professional money launderer.

A settlement was reached between Hussain and the NCA on August 24, with the High Court sealing the asset recovery order on October 2.

Graeme Biggar, director of white-collar crime at the NCA, said: “This case is a landmark case that demonstrates the power of inexplicable asset mandates and has had a significant impact on how we do illicit finance in the UK.

& # 39; This groundbreaking investigation has reclaimed tens of millions of pounds of criminally acquired property.

"It is critical to the economic health of local communities like Leeds and the country as a whole that we ensure that property and other assets are lawfully held."