Gangster Thomas Adams of Islington’s notorious Adams family crime syndicate has been jailed for seven years for money laundering offences, it can today be revealed.
The conviction of “ghost-like” Adams, who jointly headed up the infamous gang, stems from police raids across London in 2014. It can only now be reported after his 32-year-old son, Shaun, was today jailed at Woolwich Crown Court having admitting the same charge. Further charges against Thomas Adams, known as Tommy, and his daughter Terri were left to lie on file.
When raiding the home of gang member Steve Mardon three years ago, police seized ledgers detailing criminal cash transactions and more than £110,000 in a floor safe.
The court heard during the first trial how Mardon helped 59-year-old Adams launder money and obtain goods, and ran his day-to-day business.
As Judge Keith Raynor sentenced Shaun Adams he praised the work of the Met and Crown Prosecution Service in bringing about the convictions.
Det Insp Jo Van der Waag of the Met’s serious and organised crime command, said: “The instigator of this criminal enterprise is Thomas Adams, a man who appeared to have access to considerable amounts of capital, despite no identifiable or legitimate means of support, and no financial footprint in the UK.
“Adams appeared to have a ghost-like existence, concealing the true ownership of his properties and other assets, all done with the distinct purpose of avoiding detection from law enforcement authorities.”
Det Ch Supt Mick Gallagher, head of the command, added that the sentencing was the culmination of several years’ work and paid tribute to his detectives, saying they had worked tirelessly.
He said: “Thomas Adams is responsible for a large-scale criminal business, laundering the profits from crime.
“For too long organised gangs have used advances in technology to hide their criminal gains and this operation and others like it are the Met’s response.
“Any criminal gang operating in London needs to know that we will tackle them head on and hit them where it hurts the most.”
Shaun Adams, 32, of Claremont Square, Islington, today avoided jail and was given a six-month sentence suspended for a year,
His dad’s business associate Loukas Menikou, 55, of Enfield, admitted money laundering and was sentenced to 10 months, suspended for a year.
The second case, which ended today, related to the purchase, redevelopment, rental and part-sale of a former pub in Blondin Street, Bow, using bogus mortgage transactions carried out at Tommy Adams’ instruction.
The first trial, which ended in August, left seven of his associates behind bars for money laundering.
Haralambos Antoniades, 48, of Chingford; Mardon, 58, of Barnet, and Martin Dowd, 49, of Macclesfield were jailed for five years and three months.
Christos Christopher Nicolas, 52, of Harlow, was locked up for two years and six months.
Elias Antoniou, 53 of Wilderton Road, Stamford Hill, was jailed for two years.
Robert Winstanley, 77, of Northwich was sentenced to three years behind bars.
Richard Jones, 58, of Macclesfield, dodged jail and was given a suspended sentence: two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years.
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