Carer sentenced after operating as loan shark involving 1,000 loans worth £350k to dozens of 'financially vulnerable' people
A Birmingham carer has been handed a suspended prison sentence after admitting illegal money lending.
Tecla Bandawe, aged 44, appeared before Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.
The case was prosecuted by the England Illegal Money Lending Team (IMLT) in partnership with Birmingham City Council Trading Standards and West Midlands Police.
Mr Simon Mortimer, prosecuting, told the court a warrant was executed at Bandawe’s home in Soho Road, Handsworth, in March this year after allegations were made via the IMLT’s confidential hotline that she was operating as an illegal money lender.
The court heard that Bandawe is a Zimbabwean national who was employed as a carer and investigations by the IMLT found she was a member of a WhatsApp group with fellow Zimbabweans from across the country. Messages were uncovered that were said to be linked to her lending.
