A devious shopkeeper who pocked nearly £400,000 from online scams by running an international money-laundering scam from a mini-market has been ordered to repay just £1.

An investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act revealed how Laide Seriki had netted £394,534.04 from the racket, run from the Latom "O" Store mini-market in Batchelor Street, Chatham.

But she didn't have any assets - so a judge has been forced to make a nominal £1 demand. If that is not paid Seriki must serve another week in prison.

Pal Kwame Bryan benefited to the tune of £261, 579.79 and now has to pay £300 back by March next year or face two extra weeks inside

Last year, Maidstone Crown Court heard how police began investigating the store after noticing an unusually high amount of money being laundered.

Seriki, of Dale Street, made payments between August and December 2014 and the money was sent away from the business from computer addresses in Crawley.

At the trial, it was revealed how detectives had uncovered false driving licences, passport numbers, addresses and names when trying to identify the people who had received money via the business.

Investigators sent letters to 49 people who had transferred money to the business asking them why they had done so, prompting 22 responses.

Victims from as far afield as Australia, New Zealand and the United States said they had been tricked into believing they were responding to a friend who needed help, sending money to a love interest or paying for lottery winnings to be transferred to them.

Bryan, 48, was jailed for five years and nine months after being convicted at a trial and Seriki, 46, received a sentence of four years and one month after pleading guilty to money laundering offences.

Both were also given a five-year Serious Crime Prevention Order which means they will be subject to a number of conditions designed to prevent them from reoffending once they have been released from prison.

Det Insp James Derham from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said that Seriki and Bryan had played a "key role" in the money laundering operation, linking them to callous scams affecting victims from around the world.

He added: "Many of these had fallen in love with fictitious people before being tricked into paying them thousands of pounds.

"Both attempted to run away from their crimes but I am pleased the court has recognised the seriousness of their offending with these custodial sentences."

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