Former actor arrested in Spain over £13.6m con of would-be models
National Trading Standards said more than 6,000 victims were duped into paying for portfolios and studio shoots in the fraud.
- On Thursday, Spanish Guardia Civil officers arrested former Brookside actor Philip Foster in Alicante, ending a four-month manhunt for the fugitive convicted of a £13.6 million modeling fraud.
- Over eight years, Foster operated a network of sham modeling agencies using social media to lure more than 6,000 victims into purchasing worthless portfolios through high-interest credit deals and payday loans.
- Sheffield Crown Court sentenced the fugitive in absentia to eight-and-a-half years in prison last February, with Judge Dixon branding the scheme 'horrible, despicable, dishonest behaviour.'
- Extradition proceedings are now underway to return him to the UK, making Foster the fourth arrest from the National Crime Agency's recent most-wanted list of fugitives hiding in Spain.
- His capture reflects ongoing collaboration between British and Spanish police, though authorities continue searching for his son, Michael, who was also sentenced in absentia for his role in the fraud.
25 Articles
25 Articles
Brookside star arrested in Spain after fleeing justice over £13.6m modelling scam
Philip Foster, a 51-year-old former Brookside actor, was apprehended in Alicante, Spain, on Thursday by Guardia Civil officers after absconding before his fraud and money laundering trial. The National Crime Agency confirmed Foster, who skipped bail, was tried and found guilty in his absence at Sheffield Crown Court in February 2025.He was handed an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for orchestrating a £13.6million fraudulent modelling agenc…
Former Brookside Actor Philip Foster Arrested in Spain Over £13.6 Million Fraud
Philip Foster, a former actor known for his role in the soap opera Brookside, has been the subject of an international manhunt. Foster has spent years as a fugitive from British justice following his involvement in a multi-million pound fraud. Foster masterminded a massive £13.6 million fraud. The scheme operated through a network of sham modeling agencies that exploited more than 6,000 victims. Many of those targeted were aspiring models and th…
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