Fashion designer, 50, 'claimed to own 44m perfume made by Michael Jackson', court hears

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A fashion designer who claimed he owned a £44million bottle of perfume made by Michael Jackson has appeared in court charged with a string of fraud offences.

Hrh Arfaq, 50, also claimed to have the intellectual rights for a special 'Michael Jackson fragrance' and had sold a bottle to fellow designer Deborah Martinelli Bonavia for £370,000, Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

Prosecutors say Arfaq also claimed he had a special agreement to sell 200 Ghost brand bags to the Brunei royal family in a deal worth £48m.

Hrh Arfaq, 50, who changed his name from Arfaq Hussain, pictured leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court last year, denies a string of fraud offences, as well as theft of a motor vehicle

Hrh Arfaq, 50, who changed his name from Arfaq Hussain, pictured leaving Westminster Magistrates' Court, denies a string of fraud offences, as well as theft of a motor vehicle

He is charged with two counts of fraud by false representation, one count of possession of criminal property and one count of theft of a motor vehicle.  

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The court heard that between August 2019 and July 2020, Arfaq had driven a Ferrari Spider - worth £229,000 - knowing or suspecting it was the proceeds of criminal conduct. 

He is also alleged to have told Russian socialite Natalia Rotenberg that he had finalised an agreement with a company to produce a pen with her personal branding, and later stole her Bentley convertible.

Arfaq, of Batley in West Yorkshire, denies all charges. 

Graham Atkins, 54, a partner at law firm Atkins Thomson, (pictured outside Westminster Magistrates' Court last year) is charged with assisting Mr Hussain's fraudulent activity, which he denied

Graham Atkins, 54, a partner at law firm Atkins Thomson, also appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court charged with assisting Mr Hussain's fraudulent activity, which he denied

Arfaq claimed to own the intellectual rights to a £44million perfume made by Michael Jackson

Arfaq claimed to own the intellectual rights to a £44million perfume made by Michael Jackson

He attended court in person on Thursday alongside his lawyer Graham Atkins, 54, who is charged with two counts of making articles for use in fraud.

Atkins, of Fleet Street, London, also denies the charges. 

Arfaq was dressed in a black hoodie and a white T-shirt and spoke only to confirm his details and enter his plea of not guilty.

Atkins was dressed in a suit and striped tie and also only spoke to confirm his details and enter his plea of not guilty.

Both men were granted bail and will next appear at Inner London Crown Court on September 9.

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