A solicitor has been secretly filmed by the BBC offering advice on how to make a substantial illegal-working fine disappear. Mohammad Alias Yousaf, also known as Alias, a Bradford-based solicitor, suggested to an undercover reporter posing as a business owner that the £45,000 penalty could be avoided if a nominee overseas declared themselves the owner of the business.

The revelation comes as Home Office figures obtained by the BBC reveal that at least £150 million in uncollected fines for employing illegal workers is currently owed to the government. In response to the BBC's investigation, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has announced a review into the current procedures for issuing and collecting these fines.

During a secretly recorded conversation, Alias informed the undercover reporter that his services would cost 10% of the fine, amounting to £4,500, with payment required upfront. He outlined a method where the liability for the fine could be transferred to an individual outside the UK by having them named as the business owner. He specifically asked if the reporter had someone overseas, such as in Iraq or Iran, who could be nominated.

Alias has denied ever providing such advice or giving false information to the Home Office. The BBC's investigation into illegal working and associated criminality in some high street businesses, including mini-marts and barbershops, brought Alias to their attention. His name had appeared in social media videos, particularly on Kurdish Facebook pages, where he was praised by business owners for his ability to resolve issues related to immigration fines.

These social media videos, some with over 20,000 views, advertised Alias's name, his law firm Liberty Solicitors, and a mobile phone number. In one video, a Kurdish shop owner claimed that Mr. Alias had successfully cancelled a fine he had received for employing an illegal worker, showing a letter as proof. Alias, however, stated he had not commissioned, paid for, approved, or circulated these videos.

A law enforcement official, speaking anonymously to the BBC, commented that many business owners do not take illegal-working fines seriously. The official recounted seeing immigration fine notices, some valued at £40,000, stored casually on mini-mart counters, with staff indicating it was not their concern.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood stated that she wanted to thank the BBC for exposing individuals who undermine the rules. The review of fine issuance and collection procedures is expected to examine how to improve compliance and ensure that penalties are taken seriously by businesses.

The BBC's investigation highlights a significant issue with the collection of illegal-working fines, with a substantial amount of money outstanding. The findings and the subsequent government review underscore the challenges in enforcing immigration and employment laws within certain sectors of the business community.