A former Brookside actor has been jailed for nine years after he went on the run in Spain before his trial for a £13.6million fraud that exploited thousands of child models and their parents.
Ex-TV soap actor Philip Foster, 51, was jailed in his absence for eight-and-a-half years in February 2025 for fraud and money laundering, but hid in Spain before his trial.
Foster, who also went by the stage name Philip Dowd, played jealous thug Christian Wright in the popular Liverpool-based soap during the mid-1990s.
He was extradited last month and at Sheffield Crown Court on Friday he was jailed for a further six months for his attempt to evade justice.
Using a network of associates based in England, ringleader Foster operated a string of sham modelling agencies and photography studios across Britain, including London, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, Coventry and Nottingham.
Foster's activities are said to have left families in financial ruin as they handed over thousands of pounds to the scammers, while youngsters dreaming of becoming models were left emotionally shattered.
During the hearing it emerged that Foster's wife has died from cancer and Foster's son Michael was murdered around Christmas last year, according to Anthony Barraclough, defending.
The barrister told the court: 'The Spanish have imposed a blanket of secrecy in relation to that.
Ex-TV soap actor Philip Foster, 51, was jailed for 9 years fraud and money laundering and for attempting to evade justice
The former actor in his soap days as Christian Wright in Brookside, alongside his on-screen ex-wife Rachel Wright (Tiffany Chapman)
'He has had a great deal going on, of a terrible nature, but he is nevertheless an absconder.'
Judge David Dixon told Foster that his co-accused had come to court to be sentenced previously.
'You were a coward, you decided to hide and didn't come and face the music,' he told Foster, who appeared via videolink from HMP Doncaster.
The judge said Foster purchased designer watches, was photographed on yachts and bought his daughter a Porsche, demonstrating 'you were living a lifestyle based on the income from this illegal scheme'.
A National Trading Standards (NTS) investigation found that more than 6,000 victims handed over large sums on the false promise of securing paid modelling work in the fraud that he ran from Spain.
Victims were duped into thinking that a model agency was interested in them, with emails telling them they had potential after they responded to social media advertising campaigns.
Foster and his team would set up a photographic studio in the area and run a social media advertising campaign calling for models.
Michael Foster, 27, of Liverpool, was handed three-and-a-half years for conspiracy to defraud, while Paul Evans, 39, of no known address, was given the same term for offences related to money laundering
Those who responded were given the false impression a model agency was interested in them, with emails telling them they had potential.
An invitation to get a 'free' test shoot at the photographic studio was used to try to extort money, according to NTS.
Once there, they would be handed glossy brochures and told how successful other people had been.
They would be informed that they had passed their studio test and that modelling agencies were interested, but they needed to purchase their portfolio photographs from the studio in order to join an agency and become an agency model.
Victims were duped by the group who, between them, gave a good impression of running successful model businesses and lied to them about their potential.
Millions of pounds were taken from aspiring models, with some coerced into financing the upfront payment through credit deals arranged by the fraudsters or taking out expensive payday loans.
But instead of a usable portfolio, victims received poor quality digital photographs that stood no real chance of landing them professional jobs.
Virtually none of the victims received any paid modelling work.
Eight of his accomplices were also jailed last year.
Jamie Peters, 52, of Warrington and Lisa Foster, 42, of Astley, were given suspended sentences for conspiracy to defraud
Emily Newall, 29, of Kearsley, Greater Manchester and Atif Qadar, 44, of Crowthorne were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud
Paul Fleury, 57, of Swinton, Manchester was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud while Aslihan Foster, 39, of Coventry, was convicted of money launderin
Michael Foster, 27, of Liverpool, was handed three-and-a-half years for conspiracy to defraud, while Paul Evans, 39, of no known address, was given the same term for offences related to money laundering.
Jamie Peters, 52, of Warrington, was sentenced to 24 months, suspended for two years, for conspiracy to defraud, while Lisa Foster, 42, of Astley, was given 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for the same charge.
Emily Newall, 29, of Kearsley, Greater Manchester, was sentenced to ten months, suspended for 12 months, while Atif Qadar, 44, of Crowthorne, was sentenced to 12 months, suspended for 12 months. Both were found guilty of conspiracy to defraud.
Paul Fleury, 57, of Swinton, Manchester, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, also for conspiracy to defraud.
Finally Aslihan Foster, 39, of Coventry, was sentenced to 18 months, suspended for 12 months, for an offence related to money laundering.