A Preston man has avoided jail for his part in a gang who stolen millions of pounds from the NHS.

He was part of a gang of 10 men who targeted 22 mainly NHS hospitals and councils.

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Their network, uncovered by Lincolnshire Police, was found to have taken £12.6million and moved the money overseas.

On Friday 23 June sentencing of the money laundering gang took place at Leicester Crown Court.

The investigation to bring the money laundering gang to justice spanned law enforcement agencies in Dubai, Poland and other countries.

Father-of-seven Oghogho Ehanire, 42, of Brackenbury Road, Preston, was found guilty of entering into or becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement.

He received a 12 months prison sentence suspended for two years and 210 hours unpaid work.

Read more: Preston insurance fraud gang is snared

Head of the Lincolnshire Police Economic Crime Unit Sergeant Mike Billam said: “I am pleased to say that with the assistance of law enforcement in Dubai, Poland and other countries this investigation has got to the heart of this conspiracy and has disabled what was clearly an international organised crime group.

“An investigation of this size cannot succeed without a dedicated investigation team, the commitment and support of the Crown Prosecution Service and prosecution counsel as well as the assistance we have received from numerous police forces in the UK when undertaking arrests and searches. I would like to put on record my own appreciation for their help and support.

“I would like to pay particular thanks to NHS Protect and in particular the work undertaken by the NHS Computer Forensics Department in Newcastle who have provided exceptional support to this investigation, an outstanding example of partnership working.

“The sentences handed out to 10 defendants reflect the fact that these individuals, motivated only by their own personal greed, have sought to take the tax payers money intended to fund public services and projects as well as to provide care and support to the most vulnerable in our society.” Sgt Mike Billam concluded.

Sue Frith (Interim) chief executive of NHS Counter Fraud Authority and managing director from NHS Protect said: “The collaborative work NHS Protect does with other agencies is vital in tackling fraud against the health service. We applaud the work done by Lincolnshire Police to bring these criminals to justice, and have been working together closely on this investigation. Our outstanding computer forensics, intelligence, fraud investigation and financial investigation specialists have played in key roles.”

Who were the other men?

Stephen Tyndale, 47, from Southwark, London, Conspiracy to defraud contrary to common law. Conspiracy to launder contrary to section s1(1) criminal law act 1977 Sentence: 10yrs imprisonment for conspiracy to defraud and 10yrs imprisonment for conspiracy to launder – to run concurrently

Monica Thomson, 40, from Lanarkshire in Scotland, Conspiracy to launder contrary to section s1(1) criminal law act 1977 Sentence: Deferred until 21st July 2017

Imtiaz Khoda, 44, from Lancaster in Lancashire, Conspiracy to launder contrary to section s1(1) criminal law act 1977 Sentence: 4yrs 6 months imprisonment and Directors Disqualification for 5 years

Asif Habib, 53, from Dubai, Conspiracy to launder contrary to section s1(1) criminal law act 1977 Sentence: 3 years 4 months imprisonment and Directors Disqualification for 8 years

Tariq Khan, 34, from Ilford in Essex, Doing acts tending and intending to pervert the course of public justice contrary to common law. Sentence: 8 months imprisonment and compensation order of £20,000 in favour of Lincolnshire NHS Trust

Zahid Muhammed, 48, from Bearsden in Glasgow, Entering into or becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement, contrary to section 328(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Sentence: 21 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years, 210 hours of unpaid work and Directors Disqualification for 3 years

Yagnesh Patel, 46, from Stains-Upon-Thames in Middlesex, Entering into or becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement, contrary to section 328(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Sentence: 15 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years and 140 hours unpaid work

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Abdul Naeem, 35, from Marston Green in Solihull, Conspiracy to launder contrary to section s1(1) criminal law act 1977 Sentence: 5 years 7 months imprisonment and Directors Disqualification for 6 years

Mohammed Nadeem, 33, from Redditch in Worcestershire, Conspiracy to launder contrary to section s1(1) criminal law act 1977 Sentence: 5 years 7 months imprisonment and Directors Disqualification for 6 years

Abdul Ghaffar, 69, from Redditch in Worcestershire, Entering into or becoming concerned in a money laundering arrangement, contrary to section 328(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Sentence: 22 weeks imprisonment suspended for 15 months and electronically tagged curfew for 2 months