Doctor Sentenced to Jail for Defrauding NHS of £268,000 Through Sick-Leave Shift Scam

A UK-based Nigerian doctor Richard Akinrolabu has been sentenced to three years’ imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court after defrauding the NHS of over £268,000 by working shifts while on sick leave.

Akinrolabu had previously pleaded guilty to all four counts of Fraud by False Representation at the same court on 3 September 2025.

Akinrolabu was employed as a trust grade specialist registrar in obstetrics and gynaecology at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) in London, part of King’s College Hospitals (KCH) NHS Foundation Trust.

A trust grade specialist registrar is a type of resident doctor, formerly known as a junior doctor.

Between October 2018 and December 2021, Akinrolabu carried out on-call and night shifts at three additional NHS trusts, despite informing his primary employer that he was unfit to work. He performed these shifts while on sick leave or reduced duties from King’s College Hospital.

As a result, KCH continued to pay him his full salary and had to employ locums to cover the shifts he secretly worked elsewhere.

In November 2021, KCH received information that Akinrolabu had been working night shifts at Basildon Hospital. Subsequent investigations by the trust’s local counter fraud team revealed that he had also worked at Princess Alexandra Hospital, East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust, and Mid-South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, all while on reduced duties from KCH.

Evidence obtained confirmed that he had neither sought nor received permission to take on secondary employment. Timesheet and payroll records from the other trusts showed that the majority of shifts were at night and on-call, despite his claims of being unfit to perform these duties.

During a June 2022 interview under caution, Akinrolabu gave a “no comment” response. Following further investigation by the NHS Counter Fraud Authority (NHSCFA), he was subsequently charged with four counts of Fraud by False Representation.

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In sentencing, His Honour Judge David Miller stated: “You lied to occupational health, your colleagues and your employer. The public doesn’t expect doctors to lie for personal gain.”

Ben Harrison, Head of Operations at the NHS Counter Fraud Authority, said: “This case demonstrates a clear and deliberate abuse of trust by an NHS professional who knowingly breached the conditions of his employment for personal gain. By working additional on-call and night shifts, despite being unfit to do so, Akinrolabu defrauded the NHS of substantial funds that should have supported patient care. The NHS Counter Fraud Authority will continue to ensure that those who seek to exploit the health service for their own benefit are identified and brought to justice.”