A father and daughter from Nelson, Lancashire, pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court on 25 July to running a £250,000 legal fraud, part of which involved defrauding the Legal Services Commission (LSC) with regard to legal aid.

Mohammed Arshid Khatana and his daughter Mahria Khatana were arrested after a three-year investigation by the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit and the LSC. Enquiries into the Khatana's two companies – POCA Consulting Ltd and Ultima Consulting – revealed that, despite having no legal qualification or accreditation, they would offer legal representation to clients in proceeds of crime and other criminal matters.

An LSC spokesman said that Mohammed Khatana would purport to offer expert services to clients and bill the LSC through a solicitor's firm for the work. He would visit the client and arrange to transfer their legal aid to the firm, charging up to £500 for the referral, according to Lancashire Constabulary.

All monies had been recovered by the LSC, its spokesman said.

The pair were also found guilty of defrauding a 74-year-old man who was facing confiscation proceedings for money laundering. Mahria Khatana obtained quotes for legal representation from a barristers' firm in London. She then doubled the quotes and sent a £43,000 bill to the man.

At an earlier trial, in April, Mohammed Khatana was found guilty of attempting to enter into a money laundering arrangement after an undercover officer posed as the girlfriend of a drug dealer and met with Khatana, where he gave her advice on how to launder drugs money.

Detective Superintendent Jason Hudson from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit said: "Khatana was a ruthless serial fraudster who was prepared to use his daughter to steal from a wide range of individuals for his own gain. We worked closely with the Legal Services Commission in identifying and stopping Khatana's abuse of the legal aid system."

Chief executive of the Legal Services Commission, Matthew Coats, added: "The LSC worked closely with the police on this case and we are pleased that both accused has pleaded guilty. Legal aid funding is public money and we will not tolerate people trying to defraud the taxpayer."

The pair will be sentenced at Preston Crown Court on 12 September.

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