Boston Town footballer imprisoned for 11 months after admitting using a false identity

Tue 14th Sep 2010 | Legal

A Boston Town footballer was today imprisoned for 11 months after admitting using a false identity.

Lorand Borbely, 29, of Church Green Road, Fishtoft, was sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court after admitting a string of immigration and deception offences.

Borbely played for Boston Town under the name Laszlo Lovas and admitted entering the UK with a Hungarian passport in that identity in 2004. He then went on to play for semi-professional clubs Deeping Rangers and Boston Town for six years under the false identity. He also played for Sunday League champions Magnet Tavern appearing at Anfield in the FA Sunday Cup final in April. He joined the board of Boston Town as a director last year.

UK Border Agency officers mounted a two-year investigation into the identity scam that culminated in simultaneous warrants being executed at three addresses in the Boston area on 4 August. Officers swooped on Borbely’s home and arrested him on suspicion of fraud offences.

During the raid on his home, a detector dog sniffed out £6,000 in cash hidden in an alcove behind the kitchen sink pedestal. In total about £14,000 in cash was found at the address.


During the course of today’s hearing it was revealed that Borbely had in total fraudulently obtained £540,998 which he used to purchase five properties and three cars – two Audi TTs and a Mercedes Benz.

Lincolnshire Police are working to seize his assets under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

In sentencing Borbely to 11 months Recorder NK Shant QC said the footballer, “must have known you were leading a life built on lies”.

Borbely was charged with entering the UK by deception, three charges of obtaining a mortgage by deception, together with obtaining employment by deception and removing criminal property from the UK. He appeared at Boson Magistrates’ Court on 5 August and was remanded into custody after an application for £50,000 bail was refused. The court approved an application from the UK Border Agency for the initial detention under the Proceeds of Crime Act of the cash found during the search of the house in Fishtoft

When he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on 12 August Borbely pleaded guilty to all the charges and also admitted five charges of fraud, a further deception charge and perverting the course of justice after appearing in court for a speeding offence under his false identity.

Damian Green, the Immigration Minister, said:

“The Government has tasked the UK Border Agency with carrying out an intense period of enforcement activity over the summer. We are determined to make it harder than ever for illegal immigrants to come to the UK.

“Illegal immigration puts pressure on public services, local communities and legitimate businesses at a time when this country cannot afford it.

“That’s why the UK Border Agency is working to cut out illegal employment, sham marriages, bogus colleges and organised traffickers being used by foreign nationals to try to stay in the UK illegally.”

Andrew Radcliffe, from the UK Border Agency’s East Midlands immigration crime team, said:

"This man might have been well regarded by Boston Town fans and his fellow directors but we will not ignore this sort of deception.

“Foreign nationals that try to con their way into work with a false passport are making it more difficult for British people to find jobs. Businesses that turn a blind eye to such fraud undercut honest employers who recruit staff with the right to work in the UK and who pay them a proper salary. We will crack down on this abuse whether it takes place in a factory or at a football club.

“There are strict rules about which foreign nationals can get a job in the UK and businesses have a clear responsibility to carry out the right checks. But bosses that don’t play by the rules face on the spot fines and could potentially end up in jail.”

Employers unsure of the steps they need to take to avoid employing illegal workers can visit www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/advice-for-employers or they can call the UK Border Agency’s Employers Helpline on 0300 123 4699.

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