Man from Dover among immigration officers charged after thefts from migrants
All six have been charged with money laundering offences
Six immigration officers have been charged with offences following an investigation into thefts from migrants and money laundering.
Five of the officers are facing charges including conspiracy to steal and misconduct in public office, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said on Tuesday.
All six have been charged with money laundering offences.
Head of the CPS Special Crime Division Malcolm McHaffie said Besmir Matera, 36, Lee-Ann Evanson, 42, John Bernthal, 53, Ben Edwardes, 45, Jack Mitchell, 33, and David Grundy, 43, have been charged "following a Home Office investigation into thefts from migrants and money laundering between August 2021 and November 2022".
All six defendants will appear at Westminster Magistrates' Court on January 29.
Mr McHaffie said: "Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.
"We have worked closely with the Home Office's Anti-Corruption Criminal Investigations Unit as they carried out their investigation."
Mitchell, of Dover, Kent, is charged with conspiracy to steal; misconduct in public office; and concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.
Matera, of Reigate, Surrey, is charged with conspiracy to steal; misconduct in public office; concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property; obtaining leave to enter to remain in the United Kingdom by deception; and three counts of possession of an identity document with improper intention.
Evanson, of Bracknell, Berkshire, is charged with conspiracy to steal; misconduct in public office; and concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.
Bernthal, of Welling, south-east London, is charged with conspiracy to steal; misconduct in public office; and concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.
Edwardes, of Bexleyheath, south-east London, is charged with conspiracy to steal; misconduct in public office; and concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.
Grundy, of Croydon, south London, is charged with concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property.
The CPS said it wanted to remind everyone that this case is active and it is "vital that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in anyway prejudice these proceedings".