Merseyside-based property boss hid fraud jail time behind new name

Scott El Paraiso was jailed in 2009 for defrauding 25,000 from pensioners while he worked as a plumber.

Adam Minett changed his name to Scott El Paiso in 2011 , half way through a sentence.

Under his new name, he helped co-found Urban Evolution Property Management in 2018 .

The 41-year-old denies he misled leaseholders that a building needed to close because of issues raised by the fire service.

He also denied he manipulated the identity of a former tenant to make it look as though an investor was buying up properties.

In 2020 , an Omani man with the near-identical of name of Hamza Al-Huseini briefly lived in an Urban Evolution building in Liverpool .

Mr El Paraiso and his business partner Mr Spencer were directors of 34 companies apparently owned by Mr Al Huseini .

Mr Al-huseini told the BBC he believed his details had been manipulated, adding he did not know Mr El Paiso or Mr Spencer and "only ever received emails from Urban Evolution's office about rent".

Queensland Place has never been closed down over fire safety concerns.

But through his lawyers, Mr El Paraiso said the difference between Queensland Place and Arndale House was that the fire safety problems could be managed.