Bogus websites, staged protests and pretend atheists: Inside the fake asylum industry

Bogus Websites, Staged Protests and Pretend Atheists: Unveiling the Fake Asylum Sector

The Undercover Operation

In early April, a hidden network of asylum consultants was exposed through an undercover investigation. At an office near Mile End Road in east London, a reporter posing as a Bangladeshi university dropout was taught how to fabricate an asylum claim. The goal was to secure residency by presenting false narratives about persecution linked to sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political views.

Fabricated Evidence Tactics

The reporter was guided by Zahid Hasan Akhand, who claimed to be a barrister. He outlined strategies to deceive the Home Office, including creating fake social media posts, generating misleading testimonials, and staging events to bolster claims. For instance, if the applicant pretended to be an atheist, they would need to publish content attacking Islam or the Prophet Muhammad, followed by threats from religious clerics to validate the narrative.

“Religious clerics will start making comments threatening to kill you. Then you will see that your evidence has been created,” Akhand explained.

Similarly, for a gay claim, the applicant would be connected to fake club memberships and a staged partner. “You will also be given a partner, and that partner will provide a letter saying, ‘yes, he was my partner,'” Akhand said. He emphasized that the goal was to create convincing documentation, even if the applicant’s story was entirely invented.

The Cost of Deception

Akhand charged £1,500 for legal guidance and an additional £2,000 to £3,000 for evidence creation. He claimed that the political route was more complex, requiring a solid case against the applicant in their home country. In contrast, gay claims were simpler, as “they will not dig too much into your past story.” “For gay cases, it’s private, but politics and atheism are public,” he added, highlighting the challenges of proving public persecution.

“There is no way to know who is an atheist and who is not… You just told me that you are not an atheist, which means you are not an atheist,” Akhand remarked.

Despite these tactics, Akhand insisted all cases could succeed if the evidence was properly arranged. “Everyone is being successful, God willing,” he said. The reporter was told to first choose between atheism or homosexuality as the basis for their claim before finalizing the plan.

A Qualified but Unlicensed Practitioner

Akhand qualified as a barrister in 2022 but lacked a practicing license. This allowed him to operate without formal oversight, positioning him as a key figure in the growing industry of fake asylum applications. His methods, though unverified, reflected a system where fabricated evidence is not only accepted but actively cultivated to secure residency for migrants.