TWELVE people from across the country have appeared in court this morning in connection with a large-scale mortgage fraud conspiracy.
The defendants, aged between 26 and 66 and from across the country, are charged with conspiring to defraud mortgage lending companies between June 19 2007 and February 1 2011.
The charges follow a lengthy police investigation named Operation Bamburgh and is thought to involve sums of between £4m and £5m.
A total of 15 people were initially charged, some of which were in the legal profession, including solicitor Peter Maine who was found stabbed to death on a gravel path while on an early morning run near Maiden Castle sports ground, in Durham City, on Sunday, September 1.
Two of the defendants were on pre-planned holidays so could not attend the hearing. They will appear at magistrates at a later date.
Of the 12 who appeared at Darlington Magistrates’ Court this morning, none entered any pleas and all were committed to Teesside Crown Court to appear on Friday, October 18.
All were granted unconditional bail.
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