A sophisticated scheme that spanned over two years has come to light, with a Liverpool-based private tutor at its centre. Shahid Adnan, 43, was handed a three-year prison sentence after generating approximately £300,000 through his illicit activities, primarily targeting students at Liverpool John Moores University.
The operation began to unravel in February 2023 when a student submitted a USB drive containing suspicious coursework to Dr Tom Berry of the university's School of Computer Science and Mathematics. Further investigation revealed that Adnan had accessed the university network using students' personal login credentials, submitting fraudulent work and sitting exams on their behalf. This was confirmed through spreadsheets detailing module information, coursework deadlines, and student login details found on a company computer linked to Study Sharp Ltd.
During police questioning, Adnan admitted to sitting an exam for one of the students who had initially handed in the USB drive, acknowledging that he used the student's personal details to access university systems. He claimed not to have required university authorisation, but this was disputed by the evidence uncovered during the investigation.
Police found significant evidence of Adnan's lavish lifestyle, including three bank accounts, a trading account, and multiple high-end vehicles. His home contained expensive items that were inconsistent with his stated occupations as a private tutor and Amazon delivery driver. One Barclays Bank account alone held over £1.5 million, while two Lloyds accounts contained approximately £600,000 and £245,000 respectively. A PayPal account also revealed over £110,000 in funds directly linked to the fraud.
While Adnan's actions involved 124 students across various universities globally, he initially denied any wrongdoing but later admitted to converting criminal property – or money laundering – at Liverpool Crown Court. He had previously pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation and causing a computer to perform a function to secure or enable unauthorised access to programme data.
Senior Crown Prosecutor Andrew Madden noted that Adnan's complex bank account arrangements were an attempt to evade detection, while Detective Sergeant Adam Dagnall highlighted the importance of tackling academic dishonesty. He praised Dr Berry for his diligence in uncovering the scheme, stating that cheating undermines the integrity of qualifications and poses a significant threat to individuals' skills and knowledge.