MP candidate to face trial over money laundering
Jordan Pettitt/PA WireA Birmingham lawyer and former political candidate accused of helping a group to launder millions in cash is set to face trial in two years.
Akhmed Yakoob, 37, stood as an Independent candidate for the West Midlands mayoral election and the general election in 2024.
The solicitor is accused of assisting people who "wanted help to launder cash of millions of pounds", a court heard.
Mr Yakoob, of Aldridge in Walsall, and his co-accused, accountant Nabeel Afzal, 38, from Birmingham, appeared at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.
The pair have already pleaded not guilty to money laundering, encouraging money laundering and contravening a requirement to apply customer due diligence measures when establishing a business relationship.
The offences are alleged to have taken place between 18 February 2020 and 8 January 2021.
If convicted, the men could be jailed for up to 14 years, the court heard.
Mr Yakoob, dubbed the "TikTok lawyer", stood in Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood's Birmingham Ladywood constituency in the general election in 2024, where he came second, with 12,137 votes, compared to her 15,558.
He previously came third in the West Midlands mayoral election with 69,621 votes.
A trial date has been fixed for 23 August 2027.
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