Bogus Websites, Staged Protests, and Pretend Atheists: Inside the Fake Asylum Industry

Undercover investigations have uncovered a thriving network of tactics used to fabricate asylum applications, ranging from counterfeit news platforms to orchestrated demonstrations and invented religious identities. These strategies, often orchestrated by advisers, aim to deceive the immigration authority by presenting false narratives as credible evidence. A key element of this scheme involves hiring individuals to simulate specific personal stories, such as claiming to be an atheist or a sexual minority, to strengthen their cases.

The Undercover Experiment

In early April, during a Tuesday evening in east London, our undercover reporter participated in a session at an office near Mile End Road. Posing as a Bangladeshi student who had recently left university, he expressed interest in asylum as a means to remain in the UK. During the meeting, Zahid Hasan Akhand, who identified as a barrister, outlined various strategies to manipulate the Home Office’s scrutiny.

“You can claim persecution based on your sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political views,” Akhand explained. “It’s up to you to choose which path to take.”

The legal fee for assistance was set at £1,500, covering preparation for the application and mock interviews. However, the reporter would also need to generate supporting evidence, a task Akhand claimed could be outsourced. “If you can’t find it yourself, I’ll connect you with people who can help,” he said, noting that the cost for such materials could range from £2,000 to £3,000 depending on the chosen route.

Creating Fake Evidence

For atheism claims, the process involved crafting social media content to mock Islam or the Prophet Muhammad. Akhand suggested that religious clerics would then issue threatening statements, reinforcing the illusion of persecution. He also recommended using AI tools like ChatGPT to publish articles in UK-based and Bangladeshi atheist publications, enhancing the claim’s plausibility.

“You could write under a pseudonym if you were in Bangladesh,” Akhand said. “No system exists to verify whether someone is genuinely an atheist or not.”

Meanwhile, for sexual orientation claims, the adviser proposed arranging fake partnerships and providing letters of support. “You’ll be introduced to a partner who will attest to your relationship,” he said, adding that attending events organized by groups for former Muslims would further bolster the story. “This is the era of live videos, not just posts,” Akhand emphasized.

The Political Angle

The political asylum route, Akhand noted, required more effort. “It’s harder to establish a credible case for political persecution,” he admitted. In contrast, gay claims were easier to manage, as “they don’t dig too deep into your past.” The undercover reporter asked if cases could succeed even when the applicant was not truly gay or atheist. “Everyone ends up successful, God willing,” Akhand replied. “As long as the evidence is arranged properly, it works.”

Despite his claims, Akhand holds a barrister qualification from 2022 but lacks a formal license to practice law. This detail highlights the industry’s informal nature, where expertise is often combined with creative deception to navigate the asylum process.