June Brown, the beloved actress who brought the iconic Dot Cotton to life on EastEnders for over three decades, was loved by the fans. However, it has now come to light that the fan-favorite was once conned by a group of fraudsters before her demise in 2022. According to sources, they used Brown to advertise their business and now have been sentenced. Read on to know all about it.
EastEnders Actor Was Conned
EastEnders icon June Brown was duped by four fraudsters over a false home improvement scheme. The criminals used the late soap actress for their TV advertisements while promoting their services. It has also come to notice that Brown, who passed away in 2022, wasn’t aware of their illegal business. They have allegedly stolen over £1 million from victims and are now sentenced at Leeds Crown Court.
According to BBC, the four defendants worked across Yorkshire and Derbyshire- they claimed to be part of a government energy efficiency scheme. As per Trading Standards, they had kept their identities hidden and secured business by misrepresentation. The investigation also found that some customers paid deposits for work that was substandard. There were also people who were living in unstable properties without having the means to repair the damage.
Four men were involved: Zulkernan Mahmood, Rehan Yousaf, Jonathan O’Grady, and David Goody. Most of them were from Bradford and found guilty of fraudulent trading and being part of a fraudulent business. They have all been given appropriate punishment, and two of them have also been disqualified from being company directors.
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As for Brown, she passed away in April 2022, and her character Dot Cotton left the BBC soap two years before her demise. She made her debut on the show just months after the first episode in 1985. The show also gave her character a send-off with funeral scenes in December 2022. For more such updates on EastEnders, keep following Soap Opera Daily! Did you like Dot on the show? Tell us about it in the comments below!
