A Bradford-based solicitor has been secretly filmed by the BBC appearing to suggest how a business owner could avoid a £45,000 penalty for employing an illegal worker. The solicitor denies wrongdoing, while Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced a review of how immigration fines are issued and collected.

Bradford Solicitor at Centre of BBC Investigation Into Unpaid Immigration Fines

A Bradford-based solicitor has been secretly filmed by BBC investigators appearing to explain how a business owner could avoid paying a £45,000 fine for employing someone without the legal right to work in the UK.

Mohammad Alias Yousaf, also known as Alias, was approached by an undercover BBC reporter posing as the owner of a mini-mart facing a Home Office penalty.

The solicitor, associated with Liberty Solicitors in Bradford, allegedly suggested that responsibility for the fine could be transferred to someone living overseas.

Yousaf has denied advising anyone to provide false information to the Home Office or misrepresent the ownership of a business.

Undercover investigation

The BBC investigation formed part of a wider examination of illegal working and suspected criminal activity associated with some high street businesses.

Investigators identified social media videos in which business owners praised Yousaf for helping resolve immigration penalties.

An undercover reporter subsequently contacted the solicitor, claiming immigration officers had discovered an illegal worker at his shop.

The business, employee and £45,000 fine were all fictitious.

During a recorded telephone conversation, Yousaf reportedly quoted a fee equivalent to 10% of the penalty, amounting to £4,500, with payment requested upfront.

He then discussed the possibility of naming someone outside the UK as the business owner.

The BBC reported that such an arrangement could involve a so-called ghost director, where someone is named on official documents to conceal the true ownership of a business.

Secretly recorded meeting in Bradford

The undercover reporter later visited Yousaf's Bradford office carrying £250 as an initial payment.

According to the BBC, the solicitor had originally requested £500 and did not provide a receipt for the money handed over.

During the meeting, the reporter contacted another undercover journalist posing as someone in Iraq who was prepared to be named as the business owner.

The recordings showed Yousaf repeatedly asking the supposed overseas contact to confirm that he owned the shop.

However, when the man explicitly stated that he was not the owner, Yousaf said he could not proceed on that basis.

Later in the meeting, the solicitor also said he could not advance an untruthful or dishonest account.

Senior immigration lawyer Bryony Rest, who reviewed the BBC recordings, criticised the earlier discussions and questioned the solicitor's conduct.

Solicitor denies wrongdoing

Yousaf has rejected allegations that he advised anyone to provide false information to immigration authorities.

He told the BBC that his work involves challenging penalties through lawful procedures, including cases where the individual identified by immigration officers was not legally an employee.

He also said he had subsequently informed the undercover reporter in writing that he could not pursue a dishonest case and had declined to act for him.

The BBC reported that Yousaf later offered to arrange the return of the £250 payment.

Although the broadcaster said the money had not been returned, Yousaf maintained that Liberty Solicitors had made repeated attempts to repay it.

The BBC report does not establish that Yousaf has been convicted of any criminal offence or subjected to a professional disciplinary finding.

More than £150 million in fines remains uncollected

The investigation also uncovered substantial unpaid penalties relating to illegal employment.

Figures obtained by the BBC from the Home Office showed that 5,755 illegal-working fines were issued between 2021 and 2025, with a combined value of approximately £215 million.

However, only £60.5 million had been collected.

This leaves a difference of more than £150 million, although the Home Office explained that not every penalty would necessarily have become payable during the same period.

Appeals and discounts for prompt payment can also reduce the final amounts collected.

Home Secretary announces review

Following the BBC investigation, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced a review of the system used to issue and recover illegal-working penalties.

The review will examine how authorities can respond more effectively to businesses that fail to comply with immigration employment rules or pay penalties.

Under the current system, employers can face substantial financial penalties for employing people without the legal right to work in the UK.

The maximum civil penalty was increased in 2024 to £60,000 per illegal worker.

The Home Secretary thanked the BBC for its investigation and said the government wanted to strengthen enforcement against non-compliance.

The case has raised wider questions about the effectiveness of the penalty system and the ability of authorities to recover money owed.

Source: BBC News investigation by Ed Thomas, Rebecca Wearn and Patrick Clahane, published 21 October 2026.