Wolverhampton Johnson brothers jailed for tax fraud

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Two "notorious" brothers from Wolverhampton have been jailed for their part in a £34m tax fraud.

Carl Johnson, 49, of Bushbury Road, and Anthony Johnson, 51, of Sandy Lane, Tettenhall, were found guilty of money laundering on 9 July.

Their trial was the last in a series involving 13 men after an investigation by police and HM Revenue and Customs.

A judge at Birmingham Crown Court sentenced the brothers each to two years and nine months in prison.

West Midlands Police said they had a "long-standing reputation for violence" in Wolverhampton.

'Protection' work

Supt Mark Payne said: "For a number of years the Johnson brothers seem to have been untouchable.

"However we would like to reassure everyone in Wolverhampton that no-one is above the law."

Police said the brothers had earned about £2.4m working as "protection" for Thomas Scragg.

Scragg, 56, of Solihull was jailed for 17 years at Birmingham Crown Court on 9 July for defrauding the public purse of £34m.

Police said all three men had spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on luxury hotels in London and ran up big bills at restaurants.

Det Ch Insp Shaun Edwards said the brothers had been caught after "flaunting their wealth" around Wolverhampton.

He said it had been "an incredibly long and complicated investigation," which was dated back to 2007.

Police said the brothers' assets, including properties, thought to be worth more than £2m were now the subject of a confiscation order.