A former soap star is on the list of Britain’s 12 most wanted men for a chilling reason. Former Brookside actor Philip Foster was finally exposed in 2025 for running a multi-million pound scam, swindling thousands of people out of more than £13.6million combined – but how did he do it?

Let’s rewind. Foster shot to fame as Christian Wright in Scouse soap Brookside, working under the name Philip Dowd at the time. He appeared in more than 60 episodes of the programme in 1995 and 1997, along with starring in programmes like The Bill and Sharpe in 1995.

But in 2025, he was unmasked as the head figure behind a string of fake modelling agencies that defrauded more than 6,000 people – mainly young people and mothers. They were promised paid modelling work in exchange for substantial amounts of cash, but the jobs never materialised.

The would-be models were invited to a “free” test shoot at a photo studio, where they were given glossy brochures. They were then told they had passed the first stage of the test, but would have to buy a portfolio of images to sell themselves to agencies.

The models were then given poor-quality digital photos. The sham agencies didn’t pay tax and were dissolved after short periods of time.

Instead, the money went to funding Foster’s lavish lifestyle in Spain. He splashed out on luxury cars and watches, before being sentenced by a UK court to serve eight and a half years in prison.

But since then, efforts to track the criminal down and extradite him back to the country have failed.

He has been named as one of the 12 most wanted criminals by UK law enforcement.

In his sentencing comments to Sheffield Crown Court last year, judge HHJ Dixon said: “This case involved a systematic and carefully planned fraud. It was horrible, despicable, dishonest behaviour. The officers have carried out an exceptional job to bring these defendants to justice.”