A 45-year old man from North London has been charged with offences "commonly seen in romance fraud cases" that allowed him to operate under multiple identities and open bank accounts.

Ukachukwu Austin Dike was arrested an address in Nicoll Circus, Mill Hill, on March 8 and charged the following day.

He is suspected of fraudulently obtaining and using multiple driving licences and aliases to open bank accounts and set up various companies, that could then facilitate further serious and organised crime.

Officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) complex financial crime team carried out searches of other addresses linked to Dike in north west London, and seized his phone and other digital devices.

Dike, who's from the NW9 area in Brent, used multiple names including Austin Ukachukwu Okafor, Austin Ukachukwu Dike, Austin Ukachukwu Dike – Okafor, Austin Dike-Okafor, Austin Okafor Dike, Austin Okafor, Ukachukwu Okafor and Chuks Austin Dike.

He appeared before Willesden Magistrates Court on March 9 where he was charged with fraud by misrepresentation and producing false documents.

He was remanded in custody until his next hearing on 6 April at Harrow Crown Court.

David Smithers, senior investigating officer at the NCA, said: “These types of offences are known to facilitate high-harm and high-volume fraud and are something we commonly see in romance fraud cases, where there is a need to launder the proceeds of crime.

“This latest action demonstrates the NCA’s Complex Financial Crime Teams continual mission to target persons engaged in fraud against UK victims.”