Paul Green, 47, a previously respected lawyer who worked at multiple firms, has been struck off after police discovered his money laundering scheme.
The Solicitors Regulation Authority said his crimes were “serious acts of dishonesty committed over an extended period which benefited [him] and his brother”, charging him £3,000 in costs.
He had bought a property with a mortgage from Santander, claiming to be the sole beneficial owner and that he would make all the mortgage payments.
But his drug dealer brother, James Green, was contributing to the purchase price by making repayments while living there.
Between 2010 and 2015, he paid £50,000 into Paul’s bank account, making £47,500 in mortgage payments.
He attempted to disguise where the money was coming from by keeping a fake diary about his side job as a “life coach”.
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But the scheme was rumbled in 2018 when HM Revenue and Customs inspectors found a storage unit used by Green’s brother in an operation targeting illicit tobacco trade.
They found £341,547 in cash, silver ingots and watches in that unit.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary later took control of investigation and searched the Berrywood address .
They discovered 1.9kg of cannabis, Paul’s fake diaries and significant evidence of drug dealing.
Messages the brothers exchanged revealed their “triumphant” scheme was working and that the house would soon go to James.
Paul was charged with mortgage fraud and money laundering for misdirecting the bank and attempting to hide his brother’s dirty money.
His brother was jailed for six years for the same two charges, as well as five counts of supplying cannabis, concealing criminal property (£341,547 in cash, silver ingot and watches) and possessing a class B drug with intent to supply.
In sentencing remarks, Judge Peter Clifford Henry said Paul Green had “thrown away his good name”.
The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal said: “There is a need to protect the public and the reputation of the legal profession from future risk of [Paul Green].
“[Green] was convicted of conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and converting money.
“These are serious acts of dishonesty committed over an extended period which benefited [Paul Green] and his brother, Mr James Green.
“This conduct is dishonest. In the circumstances, an appropriate sanction to protect the public which is proportionate to the seriousness of the admitted misconduct is that [Green] should be struck off the Roll of Solicitors.
“Further that the Respondent should pay the SRA’s costs in the sum of £3,000.”
