A solicitor has been secretly filmed by the BBC explaining how he could make a £45,000 illegal-working fine go away.
Mohammad Alias Yousaf – also known as Alias – made the claim to an undercover reporter, who was posing as a mini-mart owner facing a fine for employing an illegal worker.
The Bradford-based solicitor told his potential client he could avoid paying the fine, if he could find someone overseas prepared to declare themselves the owner of the mini-mart.
Alias has denied ever providing such advice to anyone, or giving false information to the Home Office.
At least £150m is currently owed to the government in uncollected illegal-working fines, according to Home Office figures obtained by the BBC.
In response to our investigation, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced a review of the way such fines are issued and collected.
In a statement, she said she wanted to thank the BBC “for exposing those who undermine our rules”.
Many business owners do not take the fines seriously, a law enforcement official has told us anonymously.
She told us she had seen immigration fine notices, “some worth £40,000, stuffed in a box” on a mini-mart counter.
When she had asked a member of staff if the business owners intended to pay, she said she had been told: “‘It’s got nothing to do with me.'”