He is believed to be living abroad
A former British soap star has been named on the National Crime Agency’s list of most wanted criminals.
Philip Barry Foster is wanted to serve an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for his crimes.
His sentence was handed down by Sheffield Crown Court in February last year.
However, he failed to show up for court, and so was sentenced in his absence, and is now wanted by the National Crime Agency.
Who is Philip Barry Foster?
Philip Barry Foster previously starred in the Channel 4 soap Brookside.
Brookside was a soap set in Liverpool that ran for 21 years, from 1982 until its end in 2003.
Foster starred in the show as Christian Wright.
However, he later turned to crime, and was ringleader of an operation which affected more than 6,000 victims.
The National Crime Agency says he is 50, and is a white man with short brown hair.
What crime is Foster wanted for?
Foster is wanted to begin an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence after he was convicted for his part in a a £13.6 million fraud operation.
The former actor was ringleader of a scheme which was exposed by National Trading Standards after a 6-year investigation.
He ran an extensive network of sham modelling agencies, which exploited aspiring young models and their parents.
Leading the operation from Spain, Foster used his network of associates to run sham modelling agencies and photography studios across cities in the UK.
His victims paid substantial sums under the false promise of securing paid modelling work, with more than 6,000 people affected.
Victims were enticed by social media campaigns to photography studios, where they were then given a false impression that a modelling agency was interested in signing them.
Then, they were invited to a ‘free’ test shoot, which turned out to be a ruse to extort money, as they were forced to purchase their portfolio photographs in order to join an agency after being lied to about their potential.
However, the photos turned out to be of very low quality, and gave them no real chance of landing them professional jobs. Very few of the victims went on to land paid modelling work.
The sham agencies were repeatedly rebranded and often dissolved after short periods in order to avoid detection, and they paid no tax.
Money was laundered via UK bank accounts before it was transferred to Spain, or it was taken out of the country in cash via Foster’s co-conspirators.
National Trading Standard’s investigation heard how victims had been left humiliated, and were left not just financially but also emotionally devestated.
“Foster’s cruel exploits left thousands of victims in serious debt, causing lasting emotional distress and significant financial pressures,” Lord Bichard, Chair of the National Trading Standards, said.
“Today’s sentences are an important reminder to would-be criminals that Trading Standards officers across the country are determined to clamp down on fraud, protecting victims and bringing criminals to justice.”
Where is Foster believed to be now?
Foster lived in luxury abroad, believed to be as a result of his involvement in the scam.
He is believed to be living in Marbella in Spain. However, efforts to extradite him back to the UK have so far been unsuccessful.
In February 2025, Foster was sentenced in his absence to eight-and-a-half years for conspiracies to defraud.
Eight of Foster’s associates have been sentenced in the UK for their part in the scam. These are as follows:
• Michael Foster, aged 27, Snowdon Lane, Liverpool, sentenced to 3.5 years for conspiracy to defraud
• Paul Evans, aged 39, no known address, sentenced to 3.5 years for offences related to money laundering
• Jamie Peters, aged 52, Pentland Place, Warrington, sentenced to 24 months, suspended for 2 years, for conspiracy to defraud
• Lisa Foster, aged 42, Manchester Road, Astley, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
• Emily Newall, aged 29, Bolton Road, Kearsley, Greater Manchester, sentenced to 10 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
• Atif Qadar, aged 44, Larkswood Drive, Crowthorne, sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
• Paul Fleury, aged 57, Manchester Road, Swinton, Manchester, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for conspiracy to defraud
• Aslihan Foster aged 39, Tredington Road, Coventry, sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for an offence related to money laundering
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