Philip Barry Foster arrested in Spain after UK modelling fraud scam

The Guardia Civil has arrested Philip Barry Foster, a 51-year-old former actor and one of the United Kingdom’s ‘Most Wanted’ fugitives, in the Orihuela Costa and Torrevieja areas of Alicante, Spain.

Foster, known for his role as Christian Wright in the soap opera ‘Brookside’, was wanted for an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence following a massive fraud and money laundering scheme. Investigations revealed he masterminded a network of sham modelling agencies that exploited over 6,000 victims, including aspiring models and their families, defrauding them of approximately £13.6 million (€16 million).

The arrest occurred during an investigation into a homicide in Orihuela Costa, which led authorities to identify the fugitive. During a search of his residence, officers seized 22,000 euros in cash and several forged identity documents. Foster now faces extradition proceedings to return to the United Kingdom to serve his sentence.