A SUSPECTED gang of fraudsters have appeared in court accused of a £4.5m IPhone scam.

The eight people are accused of conning mobile phone providers into handing out mobile phones and SIM cards.

Abrar Arshad, 34, of Oastway, Rochford, is one of the group accused of carrying out the scam.

It is alleged the gang then set up premium rate international phone lines and used the 900 phones they had been provided to call them.

The court heard they had been dialling their £10-a-minute lines around the clock, pocketing the charge paid by the networks.

Ashad appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court along with Abiola Salami, 29, of Francis Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, Nikhil Jamsandekar, 32, St Georges Road, Forest Gate, East London, Mohammed Butt, 41, of Claremont Road, Forest Gate, Cyril Okolie, 34, of Waterfront Walk, Birmingham, Loretta Charlton, 21, Wasim Shaikh, 27, St George’s Road, Forest Gate, and Ade Deji James, 24, of Suffolk Street, Queensbury, Birmingham, face a variety of charges in relation to the alleged conspiracy.

The defendants spoke only to confirm their names, and did not enter pleas to the charges against them.

Butt, Arshad, Jamsandekar, Salami, Charlton and Okolie stand charged of conspiracy to transfer criminal property between January and August.

James is charged with possessing articles for use in fraud and possessing £1,000 in criminal property.

Shaikh, faces a single count of being concerned in an arrangement facilitating the acquisition, use or control of criminal property.

They will be back in court for a further hearing on December 1, when they are expected to enter pleas to the charges.