LIVERPOOL — A Liverpool man has been sentenced to three years in prison following a complex investigation into a large-scale academic fraud operation. Shahid Adnan, 42, of Everton, Liverpool, operated a covert business that enabled hundreds of university students to cheat on coursework and online examinations.

The Operation: "Study Sharp Ltd"

Operating under the company name "Study Sharp Ltd," Adnan leveraged his access to university portals to complete assignments and assessments on behalf of students. The scale of the operation was significant, with police estimating that he provided services to at least 124 students across various UK universities, including Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).

Adnan’s fraudulent scheme was uncovered in February 2023, when a student inadvertently submitted a pen drive to an LJMU lecturer containing Adnan’s hidden databases. The files included student credentials, coursework submission logs, and detailed financial records that exposed the full extent of the operation.

A Lavish Lifestyle Built on Fraud

While maintaining a public profile as a tutor and an Amazon delivery driver, Adnan was secretly amassing a fortune. Forensic accounting during the investigation revealed that Adnan lived a life far beyond his declared earnings. Authorities discovered:

       •  Bank Assets: Over £2.4 million across multiple personal and business accounts.

       •  Luxury Assets: A high-end lifestyle featuring expensive home furnishings, an Audi, and a BMW.

"Adnan created complex audit trails with his bank accounts to try and avoid detection and lived a lavish lifestyle to use up the money he made," said Senior Crown Prosecutor Andrew Madden of the CPS Mersey-Cheshire.

Sentencing and Legal Consequences

At Liverpool Crown Court on June 17, 2026, Adnan pleaded guilty to charges including fraud by false representation, unauthorized access to computer programs and data, and money laundering. He was sentenced to three years of imprisonment.

Merseyside Police have confirmed that proceedings have commenced under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the assets gained through the fraudulent scheme.

"Cheating at academic institutions is a serious matter," said Detective Sergeant Adam Dagnall of the Merseyside Police Cyber Investigations Team. "If left unchallenged, it can result in students gaining qualifications and moving into careers without having the necessary skills and abilities. The risks of that to society are clear to see."

LJMU praised the diligence of its staff, noting that the university remains committed to a culture of academic integrity and will continue to work closely with law enforcement to prevent such dishonesty.