Fraudster who used financial payments to help scam over £300,000 from the NHS sentenced

An ex-NHS credit controller who was a key player in a fraud with others that amounted to a potential loss to the taxpayer of over £200,000 and who tried to steal another £100,000 has today (30 January 2026) been sentenced.

Edias Mazambani, 42, pleaded guilty to fraud at Southwark Crown Court and sentenced to three years and eight months’ imprisonment.

Mazambani was employed as a credit controller within the Finance department of Guys and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust (GSST) where he facilitated a lucrative fraud by making refund requests for money held on account for hospital trust clients. This money often existed because of overpayments on previous invoices. The investigation was led by NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA) in liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service. A series of others were also convicted of matters after trial.

Between December 2016 and January 2019, Mazambani authorised the issuing of thirty-four payments totalling £218,306.84 from GSST accounts. This loss could have totalled £302,799.51 if a further ten payments were successful but was stopped by NHSCFA due to suspicion being raised.

The investigation and prosecution case then uncovered that this fraudulent money was filtered through many other accounts which belonged to some of the other defendants in this case. Mazambani tried to deflect the risk of monies going straight into his accounts, but it has been proved that he received a minimum of £78,123.93.

George Magaya, 49, has pleaded guilty to four counts of money laundering related offences for receiving £23,623.92 from the fraud and sentenced to three years and two months’ imprisonment .

Rosemary Magaya, 37, George’s wife has been found guilty of two counts of money laundering related offences totalling £62,874.60 into her accounts and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Sinqobile Pasipandoya, 43, similarly has been found guilty of one count of money laundering offence totalling £106,288.87 into his account and sentenced to 18 months suspended for two years.

Michelle Tengende, 40, was convicted for one count of money laundering offence totalling £20,180.37 and sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

Shilpa Chauhan, Specialist Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Edias Mazambani’s actions amounted to an appalling breach of trust. He exploited his position to steal vital taxpayer funds from the NHS and conspired with others to launder hundreds of thousands of pounds through their personal bank accounts.

“The Crown Prosecution Service worked closely with the police and NHS investigators to uncover the full extent of the fraud and expose the defendants’ deception. We are pleased that they have now been brought to justice.

“We will now commence Proceeds of Crime Act proceedings against the convicted individuals to recover the criminally obtained funds and assets”.