Solicitor struck off for 'Fagin and Dodger' fraud

A solicitor was struck off yesterday for his involvement in a multimillion-pound investment scheme fraud. Kevin Dooley promised clients returns of up to 1,400 per cent but they were left with losses of up to £320,000 each.

Mr Dooley, 59, was guilty of conduct unbefitting a solicitor, and dishonesty, the solicitors' disciplinary tribunal ruled. The chairman, Anthony Isaacs, said the former Liverpool solicitor was involved in 19 phoney schemes between 1995 and 2000 with his friend and suspected criminal John Silver. Mr Dooley's fee from one deal was $1m (£644,000). Two clients lost £357,000 after being promised a return of £71m in nine days. Mr Silver pocketed £16,000 from that, but the cash was "lost" in Australia.

In February 1998, Mr Silver confessed he had been stealing from his employers but Mr Dooley continued to allow him to use his office. When detectives bugged them, they heard the pair conspiring like "Fagin and Dodger" from Oliver Twist, the tribunal was told.