Thousands of potentially un-roadworthy cars were left on West Yorkshire's roads as Roobik Mirzabegi, the brains behind the fraud, is believed to have netted millions of pounds.

Mirzabegi, 51, of Old Lane, Beeston was convicted on Wednesday at Leeds Crown Court of a string of charges.

Customers would pay to have their cars tested but in the majority of cases cars were never even seen by a mechanic.

Mirzabegi was suspended as the authorised examiner at Regal Motors garage in Middleton, as early as 1994.

The Vehicle and Operator Service Agency (Vosa) acted after a flood of complaints from car owners reporting faults.

Mirzabegi simply got someone else to front up the business – a practice he repeated many times over the years.

Roobik's brother Hakop Mirzaibaigian, 52, of The Avenue, Harewood, started garage Wooster and Jeeves in Temple Mews, Beeston. The jury convicted him of forgery after he faked a lease agreement to get an authorised examiner status.

A joint Vosa police operation saw 13 arrests and revealed 23,000 fraudulent MOT certificates had been issued in the three years from 2002 to 2005 alone.

Roobik Mirzabegi was convicted of concealing proceeds of criminal conduct and three counts of conspiracy to defraud. He was cleared of one charge of conspiracy to defraud and perverting the course of justice.

Roobik's estranged wife Julie Mirzabegi, 51, of Broadcroft Chase, Tingley, was convicted of assisting another to retain the benefit of criminal conduct and obtaining services by deception.
Hakop Mirzaibaigian was yesterday fined £6,500.

Roobik and Julie Mirzabegi will be sentenced later and were bailed.

After the hearing Det Sgt Mark Bray said: "Thousands of vehicles were released on to the roads by Roobik Mirzabegi in an un-roadworthy condition as a result of not being tested to an MOT standard."

Sentences previously handed out at Leeds Crown Court to 10 others involved in the scam an now be reported.

Barry Davis Senior, 63, of Main Street, Methley, was given an 18-month conditional discharge after admitting conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.

Barry Davis Jnr, 35, of Main Street, Methley, was jailed for 10 months suspended for two years after admitting three counts of conspiracy to defraud.

Gary Barker, 51, of Bradford Road, Otley was jailed for nine months suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work. He admitted two charges of conspiracy to defraud.

Michael Jackson, 26, of Throstle Lane, Middleton, was jailed for six months suspended for two years and ordered to do 180 hours unpaid work for conspiracy to defraud.

Jonathan Beales, 47, of Disraeli Terrace, Beeston, was given two year community orders and 180 hours of unpaid work after admitting conspiracy to defraud and money laundering.
Goorgen HaghVerdi, 52, of Gledhow Terrace, Gledhow,was given a two year community order and 120 hours unpaid work after admitting forgery.

Michael Waite, 37, of Temple Avenue, Rothwell; Paul Tunstall, 45, of Aberfield Crescent, Belle Isle; and Graham Barugh, 56, of Chapel Street, Leeds, were sentenced to two year community orders and 120 hours unpaid work after admitting conspiracy to defraud.

Michael Szymansky, 51, of Miles Hill Road, Potternewton was given an absolute discharge after admitting conspiracy to defraud.

A confiscation hearing involving Roobik and Julie Mirzabegi will be held next March

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